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BIDDEFORD, Maine

Nor'easters dance team takes division 3rd place at nationals

The University of New England Dance Team took 3rd place in the Open Division II  Finals of the 2009 Collegiate National Dance Championship held in Daytona Beach, Florida, April 8-11, 2009.

With a final score of 8.472, the Nor'easters trailed 2nd place Tarleton State University by only .022 points. Valdosta State College won the division with a score of 8.906.

The team qualified at prelims for finals on Thursday, April 9th and were seeded in 2nd place, trailing Valdosta State College, for Friday's finals  Only the top five teams qualified.

"The best part was having complete strangers recognize us and compliment us on our routine," said senior Brittany Palm, co-captain and choreographer.  "Last year, no one knew who the UNE dance team was, and this year we really surprised everyone, including ourselves!  Next year, schools will recognize that we are a team to contend with."

"We would really like to recognize the efforts of our advisors," Palm added. "Their support was unconditional and the dedication unwavering. Backstage, they kept the team focused and really motivated us. They helped us perform our best. And Vicki Lloyd from the Centre of Movement dance studio volunteered her Sunday nights to help us prepare for nationals."

"I have worked with alot of athletic teams over the years and this team is one of the most committed and dedicated team I have ever been associated with," said team advisor Karol L'Heureux. "They are extremely passionate about their sport and their hard work has certainly paid off."

"This team works very hard at their sport and the rewards they receive are well deserved," said Coach Robert Panetta. "They also carry a team grade average of 3.0 +, and I couldn't be more proud of them if they were my own daughters."

The dance team is student run. The team choreographs its own routines, organizes its own fundraisers, and runs its own practices.

The NCA/NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship involved more than 10,000 cheerleaders, dancers, coaches, and fans taking part in the largest collegiate cheer and dance event in the world with some 220 colleges and universities represented.

Members of the Dance Team are:

Paige Beauregard '09
Brittany Bolduc '11
Kate DiVito '11
Marisa Dzioba '10
Kira Keough '09, Co-Captain
Kristin Keough '09
Rachel Mayer '10
Kailie Morrissey '11
Brittany Palm '09, Co-Captain
Brianna Pierce '11
Alexandra Regan-Bushway '12
Alyssa Yeager '11

The UNE team advisors are coach Robert Panette and club sports advisor Karol L'Heureux.

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.