[Dance] Doane Dance Qualifies for 1st NAIA Nationals Appearance

On Sunday evening, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced the qualifiers for the 2019 NAIA Cheer and Dance National Championships. Among the list for the first time in school history is the Doane University Competitive Dance team. The Tigers will make their first appearance at nationals on March 8-9 in Davenport, Iowa. This year's championship will be hosted by Saint Ambrose University.

The Doane Dance team had a strong season, ranking 12th in the NAIA for average score. They posted a 74.62 average in five competitions this season prior to the NAIA Northwest Regional on Friday. At the regional, the Tigers took 3rd place with a score of 79.10. Along the way, the Tigers were able to knock off the top team in the NAIA, Loyola-New Orleans, which placed 4th at the regional. The top four teams from the regional, which includes Midland and Morningside, all qualified for the 12-team championship.

This marks the second time that Doane has qualified for a NAIA post-season as they advanced to the 2015 NAIA National Invitational, two years prior to the event becoming an official NAIA championship sport. Doane took 11th in 2015.

Members of the squad that competed in the NAIA Northwest Regional were Hannah Allfree (JR/Wahoo, Neb.), Ashten Arkfeld (SR/LaVista, Neb.), Sarah DeBoer (FR/Firth, Neb.), Olivia DeFord (SO/Lincoln, Neb.), Madison Eliker (SO/Waverly, Neb.), Corbin Hubbell (JR/Lincoln, Neb.), Renee Lukowicz (SO/Littleton, Colo.), and Nell Piper (JR/Lincoln, Neb.).

Along with Doane, the other 11 institutions competing in the NAIA Dance National Championship will be:
Aquinas (Mich.)
Baker (Kan.)
Grand View (Iowa)
Loyola-New Orleans (La.)
Midland (Neb.)
Morningside (Iowa)
Mount Mercy (Iowa)
Oklahoma City
Point Park (Pa.)
Saint Ambrose (Iowa)
Siena Heights (Mich.)