NAIA's announcement story

        NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana was announced Monday as a qualifier for the 2024 Nfinity NAIA Competitive Cheer National Championship March 29-30 at Ypsilanti, Mich.
        Fifteen teams qualified, and XULA was one of seven to receive an at-large bid. The NAIA will announce Wednesday the order of competition for the preliminary round March 29.
        XULA, a fifth-year varsity program, qualified for nationals for the fourth consecutive year. The Gold finished fifth at nationals in 2021, won the championship in 2022 — the first XULA team to win an NAIA-sponsored national championship in any sport — and placed sixth in 2023.
        Defending champion St. Ambrose also earned an at-large bid, as did Dickinson State, Florida Memorial, Georgetown (Ky.), MidAmerica Nazarene, and Midland. Concordia (Mich.), Cumberlands, Indiana Wesleyan, Missouri Valley, Northwestern (Iowa), Oklahoma City, Saint Mary (Kan.) and Tennessee Southern earned automatic bids by virtue of winning conference tournaments.
        XULA ranks third in points per performance this season with 94.05 out of a possible 100. Dickinson State is No. 1 at 94.80, St. Ambrose is second at 94.18, Oklahoma City is fourth at 91.85, and Saint Mary is fifth at 91.52.
        XULA produced the top score, 97.80, on the second day of the Thresher Invitational Feb. 17 at North Newton, Kan., and finished ahead of Oklahoma City, St. Ambrose, Dickinson State, Saint Mary, Indiana Wesleyan and Northwestern, which were the 2-7 teams.