Results: Competition 1 | Competition 2
ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Improvement on day two left Concordia University, Nebraska Competitive Cheer with a positive takeaway from the Northwestern Invitational held on Feb. 13-14. In separate competitions hosted by the Red Raiders, the Bulldogs placed ninth out of 10 teams with a score of 66.0 and sixth out of nine squads with a score of 70.8. Eight GPAC institutions competed at the event in Orange City, Iowa.
Head Coach Emilie Ashenbach has seen her young squad improve tremendously over the course of six competitions this 2026 season.
“Each week we continue improving our routine and adding more difficult skills, and this weekend was another step forward for our team,” Ashenbach said. “Friday went well overall, but we knew it wasn’t as clean as we’re capable of. We came into Saturday focused on being sharper and more confident, and the team did exactly that – hitting all of our new skills and showing great progress. I’m excited to keep building from this momentum and to see what we continue to develop heading into Midland.”
On the second day of action at the Northwestern Invite, Concordia defeated the likes of Hastings (68.13), Waldorf (67.2) and York (38.63). The Bulldogs’ score of 70.8 marked their second highest of the season behind the 77.0 they turned in at last week’s Concordia Invite.
Ashenbach’s team has found comfort and stability with eight athletes on the mat. The crew includes a lone senior (Ara Maxwell), two sophomores and five freshmen.
Northwestern Invite Competition Roster
· Ella Bradley (De Soto, Mo.)
· Giavanna Doyle (Curtis, Neb.)
· Sarah Felten (Sterling Heights, Mich.)
· Karmen Fitch (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Ara Maxwell (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Adelyn Opp (Lincoln, Neb.)
· Brinkly Sallach (Red Oak, Iowa)
· Sophia Schneider (Wichita, Kan.)
2026 Competitions
Jan. 24 – Placed 8th/8 (51.8) at Dordt Invite
Jan. 30 – Placed 7th/7 (60.16) at KWU Classic
Feb. 6 – Placed 8th/12 (67.85) at York Crown Classic
Feb. 7 – Placed 3rd/8 (77.00) at Concordia Invite
Feb. 13 – Placed 9th/10 (66.00) at Northwestern Invite (Day 1)
Feb. 14 – Placed 6th/9 (70.80) at Northwestern Invite (Day 2)
In one final outing prior to the 2026 GPAC Championships, the Bulldog Cheer & Dance teams will compete at the Midland Invitational next Saturday (Feb. 21). The competition is scheduled to get underway at 11 a.m. CT in Fremont, Neb.