DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The reigning champions of the Intermediate All-Girls Division III category at the NCA College Nationals will begin defense of their crown on Thursday morning as the Christopher Newport University Competition Cheerleading squad is set to take the floor at 11:47 a.m. The first performance of the NCA Collegiate National Championship event will be performed at the Ocean Center Arena. 

With a score of 96.0278 in the finals last season, the Captains were celebrated as the top performer at the NCA College Nationals and earned the first NCA national championship in program history. This season, head coach Erica Flanigan will be guiding the team in the national championship event with a chance to continue making history with a potential repeat. Head coach since 2006, Flanigan has helped lead CNU to five national championships with the first four coming at the Cheer Ltd. College Open (2014, 2017-19). 

The Captains will again be competing in the Intermediate All-Girls Division III category. This year, there are 17 programs entered in that category including Mary Washington, New York University, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and 2024 runner-up Curry College. 

Performances will be held in the Intermediate All-Girls Division III category from 11:07 a.m. through 2:14 p.m. On Friday, the teams will perform again with the awards ceremony being held at approximately 4:00 p.m. 

All performances will be graded in multiple categories with stunts, pyramid skills, tosses, standing tumbling, and running tumbling all included in the scoring by NCA College judges.

Fans and spectators can sign up to watch the Captains' performances live or on demand at tv.varsity.com or by clicking here.