Photo by: Laura Martin
Dance Makes History at the College Classic National Championship
4/24/2026 11:35:00 AM | Dance
ORLANDO, Fla. – In their first year as a varsity program, the USC Upstate dance team traveled to Florida for The College Classic National Championship April 10-12.
Competing in both Rally Dance and Division I Small Hip Hop, the Spartans excelled in their hip hop routine. Placing fifth in prelims with a score of 84.42, the team improved its score for finals by 3.06 points, placing fourth out of 11.
Head Coach Laura Martin stated, "I told the team that this is history in the making, we have completely redefined what it means to be a first-year team. It is pretty much unheard of that a first-year team would attend a National Championship, let alone place in the top four in an extremely competitive category! They have set the standard high for first-year teams. We are already so excited to return to Nationals next year and keep making Spartan Army proud!"
Haylee Jones, a senior team member, put into words how much the season has meant to her and the team. "This first year has meant everything to us—building something from the ground up, growing together, and believing in each other every step of the way. Competing at nationals is more than an achievement. It's a reflection of our intentional, resilient, and authentic team. I couldn't be prouder to be part of this experience."
The Spartans look to continue building a strong and competitive program in the next few years, built on the foundation set by the first-ever 2025-2026 squad.
Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateDanceTeam | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
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TICKETS ON-SALE FOR SPARTY'S BALL – MAY 15th
Support USC Upstate student-athletes at Sparty's Ball, the largest fundraising event of the year for the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF), to be held Friday, May 15, 2025 at The Piedmont Club. For tickets, sponsorship and auction information, click here!
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Competing in both Rally Dance and Division I Small Hip Hop, the Spartans excelled in their hip hop routine. Placing fifth in prelims with a score of 84.42, the team improved its score for finals by 3.06 points, placing fourth out of 11.
Head Coach Laura Martin stated, "I told the team that this is history in the making, we have completely redefined what it means to be a first-year team. It is pretty much unheard of that a first-year team would attend a National Championship, let alone place in the top four in an extremely competitive category! They have set the standard high for first-year teams. We are already so excited to return to Nationals next year and keep making Spartan Army proud!"
Haylee Jones, a senior team member, put into words how much the season has meant to her and the team. "This first year has meant everything to us—building something from the ground up, growing together, and believing in each other every step of the way. Competing at nationals is more than an achievement. It's a reflection of our intentional, resilient, and authentic team. I couldn't be prouder to be part of this experience."
The Spartans look to continue building a strong and competitive program in the next few years, built on the foundation set by the first-ever 2025-2026 squad.
Connect with the SpartansÂ
Facebook.com/UpstateAthleticsÂ
Twitter | @UpstateSpartansÂ
Instagram | @UpstateDanceTeam | @UpstateSpartansÂ
YouTube.com/UpstateSpartans
Â
TICKETS ON-SALE FOR SPARTY'S BALL – MAY 15th
Support USC Upstate student-athletes at Sparty's Ball, the largest fundraising event of the year for the Upstate Athletic Fund (UAF), to be held Friday, May 15, 2025 at The Piedmont Club. For tickets, sponsorship and auction information, click here!
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