PELLA, Iowa — Nebraska Wesleyan's cheer and dance teams capped the 2025-26 season with a strong showing Sunday at the American Rivers Conference Championships, hosted by Central College. The Prairie Wolves earned four podium finishes, highlighted by a Game Day runner-up finish for cheer and a runner-up performance in jazz for dance.

Competing with a 14-member roster made up of one senior, six juniors, two sophomores and six freshmen, Nebraska Wesleyan demonstrated measurable growth in its final outing under first-year head coach Casey Clements.

The cheer squad posted a Game Day routine that finished runner-up in the conference, improving its score by nearly 10 points from a year ago. The performance featured clean stunts, controlled transitions and consistent crowd-leading elements from the group. The jump in scoring reflected increased difficulty and execution in the routine.

On the dance side, the Gold Rush collected three top-three finishes. Nebraska Wesleyan placed second in jazz, showcasing strong technique and synchronization across its nine-member lineup. In hip hop, the Prairie Wolves finished third but turned in one of the most technically acclaimed routines of the day. The performance received multiple 10.0 scores in technique, motion placement and transitions. 

Nebraska Wesleyan also placed third in pom, adding to the team's podium total and rounding out a consistent day across styles.

Individually, junior Ella Bonness earned All-Conference First Team honors in dance. Bonness, a Lincoln native, was recognized for her technical precision and performance quality.

Sunday's results marked the final competition of the 2025-26 season, closing a year defined by competitive progress and multiple conference podium finishes for Nebraska Wesleyan.