Cheer Captures Heart Title, All-Conference Honors & Cheerleader of the Year Award
Des Moines, Iowa, (March 14, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College cheer team competed at the Heart of America Athletic Conference Competitive Cheer Championship in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday. The Vikings captured a conference title, and several individuals earned all-conference honors along with the Heart Cheerleader of the Year award.
The Vikings opened competition with a preliminary round score of 91.63, which was tied for first place after the first performance. The team followed with a final performance score of 93.35. The preliminary score accounted for 25-percent of the team's total score, and the final performance score accounted for the remaining 75-percent. Missouri Valley finished with a total score of 92.92, winning the conference title by more than two points.
This is the program's first conference title since 2023, and the ninth championship in the past ten seasons. The team posted its two highest scores in competition this season at the event.
In addition to the conference title, the team put 11 individuals on the 2026 Heart Cheer All-Conference Team, including the 2026 Heart Cheerleader of the Year.
Named to the all-conference first team were Sophomore Hailey Stephenson (Las Vegas, Nev.), Junior Carter McCourt (Bristol, Ind.), Junior Aidan Oldham (Kansas City, Mo.), Junior Alayna Allen (Warrensburg, Mo.), Freshman Anthony Carter (Geneseo, Mo.) and Junior Crysta Newton (Flushing, Mich.). Stephenson was also named the Heart Cheerleader of the Year, the fourth-straight year a Viking has earned the award (Carter McCourt in 2025, Rylee Mills in 2023 and 2024).
All-conference second team selections include Freshman Sophia Zinn (Henderson, Nev.), Freshman Hannah Roberts (Independence, Mo.) and Junior Parker Hoobler (Boulder, Colo.). Named to the honorable mention team were Freshman Serinamarie Galvan (Lodi, Calif.) and Sophomore Logan Gosney (Monroe City, Mo.).
Missouri Valley earned the program's ninth conference title in the past ten years, and also earned an automatic berth into the 2026 NAIA Competitive Cheer National Championship, taking place March 27-28 in Topeka, Kan. The Vikings entered the weekend tenth in the season-long standings in NAIA cheer, with an average score of 86.36, which does not include the Heart performances.
2026 Heart Cheer Championship-Total Scores
1. Missouri Valley-92.92
2. Grand View (Iowa)-90.62
3. Baker (Kan.)-90.45
4. William Penn (Iowa)-84.31
5. Park (Mo.)-83.81
6. Benedictine (Kan.)-82.18
7. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)-81.81
8. Culver-Stockton (Mo.)-76.71
9. Peru State (Neb.)-71.44
10. Mount Mercy (Iowa)-60.81
About Missouri Valley College
Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.