Competitive Cheer & Dance Continue to Grow in the AMC
August 19, 2025
St. Louis, Mo. - The American Midwest Conference (AMC) announced today the addition of Bismarck State College, Langston University, Oklahoma City University and Saint Xavier University as single-sport members. Bismarck State will compete in competitive dance, Langston in competitive cheer and Oklahoma City and Saint Xavier in both competitive cheer and competitive dance.
"We are thrilled to welcome Bismarck State, Langston, OCU and Saint Xavier to the AMC, and enabling their student-athletes to compete for conference titles and awards," AMC Commissioner Will Wolper said. "The enthusiasm, excitement, and quality of competition at our inaugural championship in March were at a level I have not seen before. These four new schools are tremendous additions and will certainly help bring the enthusiasm, excitement and quality of competition to another level this year."
The AMC now has eight teams competing in both competitive cheer and competitive dance. Oklahoma City and Saint Xavier join Columbia College, Cottey College and St. Ambrose University as members for both cheer and dance. Langston joins Dickinson State University and the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy as cheer-only members. Bismarck State joins the University of St. Francis (Ill.) and Viterbo University as dance-only members.
The NAIA became the first intercollegiate athletic association to sponsor championships in competitive cheer and competitive dance, with the first one hosted in 2017. Of the eight National Champions (no event in 2020), schools now in the AMC have five cheer and four dance National titles and eight total National runner-up finishes (cheer-3, dance-5).
The 2026 American Midwest Conference Competitive Cheer and Dance Championships are scheduled for March 6-7, 2026 at Columbia College.
About the four new AMC members
Bismarck State College (Bismarck, N.D.) is a first-year NAIA member and competes in the Frontier Conference. 2025-26 will be the Mystics' inaugural competitive dance season, led by head coach Angie Neigum.
"First of all, we would like to thank the Council of Presidents and Commissioner Will Wolper for the opportunity," said Bismarck State College Director of Athletics, Myron Schulz. "Bismarck State College is extremely excited about not only adding Competitive Dance but being able to compete in the American Midwest Conference and face the top talent that the NAIA has to offer. BSC continues to look for ways to provide student-athletes with new and exciting opportunities, such as what the AMC will provide. We also look forward to the new rivalries that will be formed and the relationships that will be built with a group of outstanding institutions."
Langston University (Langston, Okla.) is a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Lions posted four top-five finishes during the 2024-25 regular season and capped the year with a fourth-place finish at the SAC/Red River Conference Championship. In 2023-24, the team earned three first-place finishes and two second-place results, closing the season with a fourth-place showing at the NAIA Qualifying Tournament. Deonne King enters her seventh season as the Lions' head coach.
"Langston University is proud to become a member of the American Midwest Conference and showcase our competitive cheer program," said Langston University Director of Athletics, Donnita Drain-Rogers. "The AMC is the premier conference for competitive cheer with conference member St. Ambrose having won three straight NAIA National Championships; we could not be more excited to join this conference and having our cheer program competing against the highest level of competition."
Oklahoma City University (Oklahoma City, Okla.) is a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Stars cheer team, coming off an 8th-place National finish in 2025, is a two-time NAIA National Champion (2017, 2021) and two-time National Runner-Up (2018, 2019). OCU's dance team is a two-time National Runner-Up (2018, 2021) and finished fourth last year. Alicia Bailey, a two-time NAIA National Coach of the Year, leads the Oklahoma City cheer team. Tasha Hinex enters her 12th year as head coach of the dance team.
"OCU Cheer and Dance are grateful for the opportunity to officially join the American Midwest Conference," said Oklahoma City Director of Athletics Sadiaa Jones. "Coming off a title-winning season for both teams, the Stars are excited and looking forward to hopefully having another successful season."
Saint Xavier University (Chicago, Ill.) is a member of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference and joins CCAC member St. Ambrose as an AMC single-sport member for competitive cheer, and St. Ambrose, St. Francis (Ill.) and Viterbo for competitive dance. Sitaara Jones leads the Cougars' cheer team, and the dance team is led by Jeffrey Orluck.
"Saint Xavier is excited to learn that we have been accepted into the AMC for Cheer and Dance," said Saint Xavier Director of Athletics Ken Alston. "The opportunities and student experience that will be gained from our two teams joining this Conference will be amazing. I'm excited for Saint Xavier and for our student athletes."
About the American Midwest Conference
The American Midwest Conference (AMC) is a NAIA athletic conference with full-member institutions in Arkansas and Missouri, as well as single-sport members in Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. The Conference, founded as the Show-Me Conference in 1986 before becoming the American Midwest Conference in 1994, sponsors championships in 17 sports (women: basketball, competitive dance, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, indoor & outdoor track & field and volleyball; men: baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and indoor & outdoor track & field; coed: competitive cheer).
"We are thrilled to welcome Bismarck State, Langston, OCU and Saint Xavier to the AMC, and enabling their student-athletes to compete for conference titles and awards," AMC Commissioner Will Wolper said. "The enthusiasm, excitement, and quality of competition at our inaugural championship in March were at a level I have not seen before. These four new schools are tremendous additions and will certainly help bring the enthusiasm, excitement and quality of competition to another level this year."
The AMC now has eight teams competing in both competitive cheer and competitive dance. Oklahoma City and Saint Xavier join Columbia College, Cottey College and St. Ambrose University as members for both cheer and dance. Langston joins Dickinson State University and the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy as cheer-only members. Bismarck State joins the University of St. Francis (Ill.) and Viterbo University as dance-only members.
The NAIA became the first intercollegiate athletic association to sponsor championships in competitive cheer and competitive dance, with the first one hosted in 2017. Of the eight National Champions (no event in 2020), schools now in the AMC have five cheer and four dance National titles and eight total National runner-up finishes (cheer-3, dance-5).
The 2026 American Midwest Conference Competitive Cheer and Dance Championships are scheduled for March 6-7, 2026 at Columbia College.
About the four new AMC members
Bismarck State College (Bismarck, N.D.) is a first-year NAIA member and competes in the Frontier Conference. 2025-26 will be the Mystics' inaugural competitive dance season, led by head coach Angie Neigum.
"First of all, we would like to thank the Council of Presidents and Commissioner Will Wolper for the opportunity," said Bismarck State College Director of Athletics, Myron Schulz. "Bismarck State College is extremely excited about not only adding Competitive Dance but being able to compete in the American Midwest Conference and face the top talent that the NAIA has to offer. BSC continues to look for ways to provide student-athletes with new and exciting opportunities, such as what the AMC will provide. We also look forward to the new rivalries that will be formed and the relationships that will be built with a group of outstanding institutions."
Langston University (Langston, Okla.) is a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Lions posted four top-five finishes during the 2024-25 regular season and capped the year with a fourth-place finish at the SAC/Red River Conference Championship. In 2023-24, the team earned three first-place finishes and two second-place results, closing the season with a fourth-place showing at the NAIA Qualifying Tournament. Deonne King enters her seventh season as the Lions' head coach.
"Langston University is proud to become a member of the American Midwest Conference and showcase our competitive cheer program," said Langston University Director of Athletics, Donnita Drain-Rogers. "The AMC is the premier conference for competitive cheer with conference member St. Ambrose having won three straight NAIA National Championships; we could not be more excited to join this conference and having our cheer program competing against the highest level of competition."
Oklahoma City University (Oklahoma City, Okla.) is a member of the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Stars cheer team, coming off an 8th-place National finish in 2025, is a two-time NAIA National Champion (2017, 2021) and two-time National Runner-Up (2018, 2019). OCU's dance team is a two-time National Runner-Up (2018, 2021) and finished fourth last year. Alicia Bailey, a two-time NAIA National Coach of the Year, leads the Oklahoma City cheer team. Tasha Hinex enters her 12th year as head coach of the dance team.
"OCU Cheer and Dance are grateful for the opportunity to officially join the American Midwest Conference," said Oklahoma City Director of Athletics Sadiaa Jones. "Coming off a title-winning season for both teams, the Stars are excited and looking forward to hopefully having another successful season."
Saint Xavier University (Chicago, Ill.) is a member of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference and joins CCAC member St. Ambrose as an AMC single-sport member for competitive cheer, and St. Ambrose, St. Francis (Ill.) and Viterbo for competitive dance. Sitaara Jones leads the Cougars' cheer team, and the dance team is led by Jeffrey Orluck.
"Saint Xavier is excited to learn that we have been accepted into the AMC for Cheer and Dance," said Saint Xavier Director of Athletics Ken Alston. "The opportunities and student experience that will be gained from our two teams joining this Conference will be amazing. I'm excited for Saint Xavier and for our student athletes."
About the American Midwest Conference
The American Midwest Conference (AMC) is a NAIA athletic conference with full-member institutions in Arkansas and Missouri, as well as single-sport members in Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. The Conference, founded as the Show-Me Conference in 1986 before becoming the American Midwest Conference in 1994, sponsors championships in 17 sports (women: basketball, competitive dance, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, indoor & outdoor track & field and volleyball; men: baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, and indoor & outdoor track & field; coed: competitive cheer).