ORLANDO, Fla. - The University of Hawai'i cheer squad will compete in the 2008 Universal Cheerleaders Association Collegiate National Championships on Sunday, Jan. 20 in Orlando, FL. The Championships will be televised on ESPN in March.

"We've made some last minute changes to the routine and the squad is very confident," said head coach Mike Baker. "Our main goal is to hit a clean routine and represent Hawai`i well on national television. We are working hard to have a solid routine. Our skill level should place us in the top three with a good opportunity to push for a possible championship."

The team already has recieved a perfect "crowd score" of 15 points. It is worth 15 percent of the team's overall score. The 15-out-of-15 points is the highest ever score in that category for UH. The "crowd score" is determined by judges who evaluate game footage of the cheerleaders interaction with Hawai`i crowds from several events during the school year.

The UH Cheer Team has placed in the Top 10 in the UCA championship the past four years, including a school-best third place in 2001 and '05. The Hawai`i squad is known for some of the most creative and athletic routines in the nation.