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        NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana will play host to the third annual Battle in the Big Easy at XULA's Convocation Center Thursday and Friday.
        The Battle in the Big Easy will feature NAIA-member competitive cheer and dance teams. XULA will compete in cheer only at 8:58 p.m. Thursday and 12:30 p.m. Friday.
        The schedule (times Central Standard):

Thursday, Feb. 1 — dual and triangular competitions
•  DANCE:  Keiser (4:54 p.m.) vs. Loyola (N.O.) (5:02 p.m.) and Missouri Baptist (5:10 p.m.)
•  DANCE:  Our Lady of the Lake (5:18 p.m.) vs. Keiser (5:26 p.m.)
•  DANCE:  Ave Maria (5:34 p.m.) vs. Loyola (N.O.) (5:42 p.m.) and Our Lady of the Lake (5:50 p.m.)
•  DANCE:  Missouri Baptist (5:58 p.m.) vs. Ave Maria (6:06 p.m.)
•  CHEER:  Mobile (6:34 p.m.) vs. Loyola (N.O.) (6:42 p.m.) and Langston (6:50 p.m.)
•  CHEER:  Keiser (7:06 p.m.) vs. Our Lady of the Lake (7:14 p.m.) and Simpson (Calif.) (7:22 p.m.)
•  CHEER:  Missouri Baptist (7:30 p.m.) vs. Loyola (N.O.) (7:38 p.m.)
•  CHEER:  Florida Memorial (7:54 p.m.) vs. Keiser (8:02 p.m.)
•  CHEER:  Williams Baptist (8:10 p.m.) vs. Langston (8:18 p.m.)
•  CHEER:  Florida Memorial (8:26 p.m.) vs. Our Lady of the Lake (8:34 p.m.)
•  CHEER:  Mobile (8:42 p.m.) vs. Missouri Baptist (8:50 p.m.) and XULA (8:58 p.m.)

Friday, Feb. 2 — multiple team, dual and triangular competitions
•  DANCE:  Loyola (N.O.) (9:10 a.m.), Keiser (9:20 a.m.), Missouri Baptist (9:30 a.m.), Cumberlands (9:40 a.m.), Ave Maria (10 a.m.) and Our Lady of the Lake (10:10 a.m.)
•  CHEER:  Keiser (11 a.m.), Williams Baptist (11:10 a.m.), Loyola (N.O.) (11:20 a.m.), Simpson (Calif.) (11:30 a.m.), Our Lady of the Lake (11:50 a.m.), Florida Memorial (noon), Langston (12:10 p.m.), Missouri Baptist (12:20 p.m.) and XULA (12:30 p.m.)
•  CHEER:  Williams Baptist (1:02 p.m.) vs. Langston (1:10 p.m.)
•  CHEER:  Loyola (N.O.) (1:34 p.m.) vs. Keiser (1:42 p.m.)
•  DANCE:  Ave Maria (1:50 p.m.) vs. Cumberlands (1:58 p.m.) and Our Lady of the Lake (2:06 p.m.)
•  DANCE:  Loyola (N.O.) (2:14 p.m.) vs. Keiser (2:22 p.m.)

        XULA is No. 2 this season in the NAIA in points per performance with 90.05 out of a possible 100. Defending national champion St. Ambrose leads with 91.64, Missouri Baptist is third with 89.90, and Georgetown (Ky.) is fourth with 89.18. XULA will compete against Missouri Baptist both days
        Missouri Baptist dance ranks eighth in the NAIA with 80.57 points per performance.
        XULA is in its fifth season of competitive cheer, a coed sport. The Gold placed fifth at NAIA nationals in 2021, won the national championship in 2022 and was sixth in 2023. XULA opened the season this past weekend by winning 2-of-3 Midwest meets and going 11-1 against all opponents. Returnees from 2023 include Gabrielle Brightmon, Syre Baker and Kelsey White, who were first-team NAIA All-America, and Tia Barrett, who made the second team.