Booneville, Miss. - The Northeast Mississippi Community College cheerleading program has once again assembled an outstanding crew to energize one of the top fan bases in the country.
Sixteen ladies are part of the spirit squad for the upcoming 2017-18 academic year. They will make their official debut during the first home football game of the season on Thursday, September 7 versus East Central Community College.
"I am looking forward to another talented group this year," said Northeast head coach Chasity Moore. "I have high expectations and goals for them as they begin to prepare for the season. We are excited to hit the sidelines to cheer for the Tigers."
Six athletes return for their final campaign in a black-and-gold uniform, including Alleigh Elder and Megan Mauney of Pine Grove High School. Ripley natives Kaitlin Brannan and C.J. Childers also come to the City of Hospitality from Tippah County.
Belmont High School is the most represented institution on the roster this season. The trio of Alyssa Grubbs, Mikenlee Stephens and Anna Leigh Witt will reunite on the Booneville campus.
The Tigers have two representatives that hail from outside the Magnolia State in MaLeah Dalrymple and Shelby Smith, who both graduated from Colbert Heights (Ala.) High School.
Tishomingo County High School's Madison Harris and Keeley Shelley, who is from nearby Wheeler, complete the list of sophomores that were members of the team during the 2016-17 school year.
The remaining newcomers are a mixture of out-of-district athletes and some that reside inside Northeast's traditional service area of Alcorn, Prentiss, Tippah, Tishomingo and Union counties.
Joining the four freshmen already listed from inside the district are Sarah Beth Wilburn of Iuka and Lauren Paige Hamilton, who is the lone addition from New Albany High School.
A pair of Hatley High School alumni in Destiny Hampton and Maggie Knight plus Mantachie's Victoria Simpson round out the Tigers' lineup for both the basketball and football campaigns.
From pep rallies on Thursday afternoons in the fall to the final whistle of the year inside legendary Bonner Arnold Coliseum, Northeast's cheerleaders have been charged with providing positive support for the athletic department since the college opened its doors in the late 1940s.
For more information about the Northeast cheerleading squad, contact Moore at 662-720-7189 or by email at cgmoore@nemcc.edu.