University of Minnesota Dance Team wins 7th straight National Championship

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - The University of Minnesota Dance Team took home their 7th consecutive national championship on Sunday for their pom routine. The team has won 1st place in Division 1A Pom every year since the category was created in 2009.

“It was an incredible weekend,” head coach Amanda Gaines said. “We were definitely feeling really confident going down there and the team put on some really incredible performances. As a coach I couldn’t be more excited.”

Minnesota's dance team is also 9-time National Champions in the Division 1A Jazz category. They placed 2nd this year with a powerful jazz routine choreographed to the song "Glory" from the film Selma.

"It’s been so amazing to be a part of this program for the last four years and just see how every year it evolves and still maintains a wonderful legacy that's been left behind from teams prior to us," captain Michaela Voss said.

You may recognize the team from their performances at the Gophers men's basketball and football games, which is one thing Voss attributes their unbeatable pom skills to.

"We start prepping in August right away," Voss said. "A lot of the game material we do at football games is pom material so it sets us up right at the beginning of our season."

In all, the University of Minnesota Dance Team has taken home 16 national titles, with more likely to come -- “Expect the unexpected; they’re going to keep pushing the boundaries in years to come," Voss said.

Captain Leah Kongsvik said she has a lot of confidence in the team's future, “I have no doubt that they will continue for the next – I don’t know – 20 years probably!”

Minnesota domination

The University of Minnesota Dance Team wasn't the only local team bringing home trophies on Sunday. In the "Open Division" for smaller schools, the University of St. Thomas placed 1st in the Hip-Hop category, MSU Mankato won 1st for jazz, and St. Cloud State University's pom routine also won the national title.

You can watch the U of M dance team's winning pom routine below, filmed by Voss's dad Greg.