Competition Cheer Starts Season with Program-Best Score

MARION, Ind.--The Phoenix opened the 2026 season with a strong showing at Session II and Session III of Wildcat Weekend, marking their first competition of the year.

Cumberland placed sixth in the opening session before improving to a third-place finish in Session III, highlighted by the highest team score in program history.

The Patriots led the field in Session II with a score of 89.4, edging Indiana Wesleyan (88.5) and Spring Arbor (88.2). Taylor finished fourth with 87.25, while Florida Memorial rounded out the top five at 85.6. Cumberland placed sixth with 84.7, followed by Marian (81.4), Bethel (76.6), University of Saint Francis (74.8), and Huntington (64.7). Grace competed in exhibition and scored 79.8.

In Session III, Indiana Wesleyan claimed the top spot with a 93.4, followed by Taylor at 86.3. Cumberland finished third with a score of 85.2, setting a new program record for team score. Bethel and University of Saint Francis tied for fourth at 77.0, while Huntington finished with 64.4. Grace College again competed in exhibition and posted an 80.1.

The Phoenix faced a challenging field that included several conference champions from a season ago, providing a strong early-season benchmark.

Cumberland will return to action next weekend when it travels to the Tiger Invitational, hosted by Georgetown, on Valentine's Day.

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