The N.C. High School Athletic Association staged its 23rd Annual Cheerleading Invitational on Friday at the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center, shifting the longtime event to Concord after a fire at the Raleigh Convention Center forced the competition’s original Dec. 6, 2025, date and location to change.
Wakefield delivered the headline moment of the day, capturing the Carolina Cup for the first time in school history. The Carolina Cup honors the top varsity team in the entire invitational, regardless of division. Wakefield repeated as the champion in the Varsity Performance Small Non-Tumbling (D1) division and earned the overall title with a score of 84.200.
In the Game Day portion of the competition, Weddington claimed the Tar Heel Trophy for the third time in four years. The award goes to the top-performing team in the Game Day Division, which the NCHSAA introduced in 2021.
The invitational also recognized eight student-athletes with NCHSAA/Cheersounds scholarships. The NCHSAA and Cheersounds award eight $500 scholarships each year to cheerleaders who demonstrate strong character, academics, sportsmanship, and school spirit.
This year’s scholarship recipients were:
- Ella Bostian (Alexander Central) — plans to pursue nursing
- Hannah Bradshaw (Topsail) — plans to study marine biology at UNC Wilmington
- Ariana Britt (West Columbus) — plans to pursue nursing, with interest in forensic nursing
- Mackenzie Conaway (Northside–Pinetown) — plans to pursue elementary education
- Brinkley Housand (Union Academy) — plans to study atmospheric science with the goal of becoming a meteorologist
- Sydney Kees (Piedmont) — plans to study environmental science and astronomy at UNC-Chapel Hill
- Lacey Mastro (East Rowan) — plans to attend UNC Charlotte and pursue a career as a life support specialist
- Libby O’Leary (Athens Drive) — plans to study psychology with a minor in business at UNC-Chapel Hill
Champions list
Below are the division champions as listed in the official division standings report from the 2025–26 NCHSAA Cheerleading Invitational.
Junior varsity
- Junior Varsity Coed DI: Broughton
- Junior Varsity DI Game Day – Small: Cox Mill
- Junior Varsity DI – Large: Lake Norman
- Junior Varsity DI – Small: Green Level
- Junior Varsity Non-Tumbling DI: Wakefield
- Junior Varsity Non-Tumbling DI Game Day: West Henderson
- Junior Varsity Non-Tumbling DII: Pisgah
- Junior Varsity Non-Tumbling DII Game Day: Ledford
Varsity — Large
- Large Varsity Coed DI: Leesville Road
- Large Varsity DI: Mooresville
- Large Varsity DI Game Day: Weddington
- Large Varsity Non-Tumbling DI: Currituck County
- Large Varsity Non-Tumbling DI Game Day: Porter Ridge
- Large Varsity Non-Tumbling DII: Pisgah
- Large Varsity Non-Tumbling DII Game Day: Tuscola
Varsity — Medium
- Medium Varsity DI: Lake Norman
- Medium Varsity DI Game Day: Marvin Ridge
- Medium Varsity DII Game Day: Ledford
- Medium Varsity Non-Tumbling DI: Laney
- Medium Varsity Non-Tumbling DI Game Day: Millbrook
- Medium Varsity Non-Tumbling DII: East Burke
- Medium Varsity Non-Tumbling DII Game Day: Providence Grove
Varsity — Small
- Small Varsity Coed DI: Holly Springs
- Small Varsity Coed DI Game Day: West Forsyth
- Small Varsity Coed DII: Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy
- Small Varsity Coed DII Game Day: Wake Preparatory Academy
- Small Varsity DI: Cardinal Gibbons
- Small Varsity DI Game Day: Carson
- Small Varsity DII: Cherryville
- Small Varsity DII Game Day: Draughn
- Small Varsity Non-Tumbling DI: Wakefield
- Small Varsity Non-Tumbling DI Game Day: East Lincoln
- Small Varsity Non-Tumbling DII: South Rowan
- Small Varsity Non-Tumbling DII Game Day: Northeastern
Varsity — Super
- Super Varsity DI: South Point
- Super Varsity DI Game Day: Lake Norman
- Super Varsity DII: Maiden
- Super Varsity DII Game Day: East Gaston
Varsity — Coed (Non Tumbling)
- Varsity Coed Non-Tumbling DI: Cape Fear
- Varsity Coed Non-Tumbling DI Game Day: West Henderson
- Varsity Coed Non-Tumbling DII: Farmville Central
- Varsity Coed Non-Tumbling DII Game Day: Mount Airy
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