PULLMAN, Wash. – For the fourth-straight year, Washington State University's Cheer and Crimson Girls will compete at the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) and Universal Dancers Association (UDA) College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championships, while Butch T. Cougar will compete for the third-straight year in the Mascot National Championship, Jan. 13-15, at ESPN's Wide World of Sports at Orlando, Fla.  

WSU Cheer and Crimson Girls will hold a national showcase performance, Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. at Bohler Gym. Admission is free to come preview the national routines. 

Washington State is one of 12 schools out of more than 100 to be competing in the Mascot, Cheer, and Dance categories. Butch will be competing for the third-straight time in the Division IA Mascot category, Friday, Jan. 13 at 3:52 p.m. PT/6:52 p.m. ET. Butch finished in the top-10 in all three previous appearances. Friday's action will be streamed for free on the ESPN app or ESPN3.com with the mascot competition beginning at 3 p.m. PT. On Saturday, the Crimson Girls will compete in the Division IA Jazz Semifinals against 23 other teams, taking the stage at 10:09 a.m. PT/1:09 p.m. ET. WSU Cheer will compete in the Division IA Coed semifinals against 23 other teams, taking the stage, Saturday, Jan. 14 at 3:17 p.m. PT/6:17 p.m. ET. The Crimson Girls and Cheer received perfect scores through preliminary judging.

"We're excited to be going back to Orlando again representing WSU and the state of Washington with our mascot, cheerleaders, and dancers," Spirit Coach Chris Opheim said. "We've been hard at work ever since June with choreography, and practicing twice-a-day over the fall and winter breaks as well."

Opheim is coaching WSU Cheer for his fifth-consecutive year, while former Crimson Girl Kaila Evenoff, in her second year at WSU, is coaching the Crimson Girls. Opheim is a former head judge at the competition and a 10-year UCA staff instructor. 

Last season marked the third-straight year that the WSU Cheerleaders had competed at the competition and the third time since 2008 that the squad had competed in any competition. It was also the third time since 2009 that the Crimson Girls competed at the UDA Dance Team National Championships. Cheer finished 12th in 2016, 11th in 2015 and 12th in 2014, becoming the first Division IA squad to make the final round in its debut year since 2004. The Crimson Girls last advanced to the finals in 2012.

"It means a lot to the students because it's our only chance at competition in the year," Opheim said. "It's one and done. There is no 'next game'. This is it."
 
The cheer routines last two minutes and 30 seconds as 45 seconds must be crowd-leading cheer. The dance routines also last two minutes.

Competing against the Cougars in the cheer competition will be fellow Pac-12 school Colorado, defending-champion Kentucky, Minnesota, South Florida, Rutgers, Iowa, Mississippi, New Mexico, Virginia Tech, Cincinnati, Mississippi State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Hawaii, Louisiana State, Central Florida, Western Kentucky, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio State, and Florida State.

The Crimson Girls will compete against fellow-Pac-12 schools, Oregon, Colorado, Arizona State and Arizona, defending-champion Tennessee, LSU, Syracuse, Minnesota, New Mexico, Louisiana-Lafayette, Bowling Green State, Michigan State, Memphis, San Diego State, Rutgers, Temple, Iowa, Florida State, Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin. 

Butch will be competing against fellow-Pac-12 mascot Chip from Colorado, Goldy Gopher from Minnesota, Smokey from Tennessee, Aubie from Auburn, Brutus Buckeye from Ohio State, Hook Em from Texas, Boomer from Oklahoma, Bearcat from Cincinnati, and Big AL from Alabama. 

Over 100 schools are represented internationally in over 12 cheer and dance divisions. Preliminary rounds take place Saturday, Jan. 14 with the top 12 squads advancing to the finals, Sunday, Jan. 15, which will air on ESPN/ESPN2 in March and April.