Dance Team To Represent Siena at NCAA Tournament

By Pete Iorizzo
Times Union.com

The Siena dance team still is going to the NCAA Tournament instead of the cheer team.

But this time, the cheer and dance teams got to make the call.

Here’s what happened: This past week Siena announced that it would send the dance team instead of the cheer team to the NCAA Tournament. The decision was made because the cheer team had gone the past two years.

Siena’s president, the Rev. Kevin Mullen, acknowledged this selection process was flawed, because neither team was consulted. So on Thursday he decided to start the process from scratch — and allow the teams to decide.

Mullen met with the coaches and captains from both teams and empowered them to pick which should go. During that meeting, the students chose to send the dance team.

“I’m very grateful for the maturity, concern and sensitivity shown by the leadership of both teams,” Mullen said in a statement. “The students were dedicated to working toward a good solution. I’m confident that now our attention is correctly directed toward supporting the men’s basketball team as a united community.”

The NCAA allows each school only 12 “spirit” positions during the Tournament. Therefore, it is not possible for Siena to send both teams.

“We respect all the time and hard work the Cheer Team dedicates to Siena Basketball,” dance team coach Meegan Mostransky said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the Cheer Team on combined routines and events in the future.”

“My team and I fully support and respect the decision to send the Dance Team,” cheer team coach Kerry Spilman said. “We are very excited that those students get to experience this great opportunity, one we have been so lucky to have experienced the past two years.”