Carrie Kinney, sophomore base for the cheerleading squad, has found a passion in the sport. In addition, Kinney serves as midlayer when the team attempts to execute pyramids. Kinney began cheering only a few years ago in the beginning of high school at Holy Redeemer High School in Wilkes-Barre.

“I developed a passion for the sport when I began cheering competitively in the 12th grade, which inspired me to want to cheer in college,” said Kinney.

She decided to attend Misericordia for her studies and added cheerleading to her list throughout her college career. Kinney’s decision was not one she would regret, and she credits head coach Tara Sinclair for her style and game plans.

“I decided to cheer at Misericordia because I love how dedicated this team is to hard work. We always make sure we are prepared for games, performances, and competition. Our head coach, Tara Sinclair, works diligently to keep us on task, while also making sure we are having fun.”

Ever since Kinney joined the team in 2016, the squad has competed in the 2017 and 2018 College National Championships in Disney World. In this year’s competitions in Disney, the team conquered, earning a silver medal in the College National Game Day Competition. This was a major win: The competition pitted the team against the combination of the best cheer teams in all DI, DII, and DIII schools. The team was also placed into the top five in this competition, the only DIII university to do so.

Besides yearly competitions, the cheer team shows off their talents at the university’s basketball and football games. The team also performs at local events that the university holds throughout the year. Because of this, Kinney believes that the team is highly involved in the community.

“My favorite part about cheering for MU is the active role we have on campus and in the community. I love always having something going on and getting to do it with my best friends is just an added bonus.”

Kinney knows how much talent is on the squad and how much they can achieve over the next two years of her career. Kinney’s goal for the team is to make it back into finals at the National Championship in the traditional routine after they missed the mark last season.

“I would also like to see us create a new tradition of excellence by placing high in the Game Day Division for the second season in a row. A personal goal I have for next season is to grow stronger and improve on my tumbling. I get to share the mat with some incredible athletes and they inspire me to push myself and be the best I can be for them.”