SEVENTH HEAVEN

By Brandon Petersen

The Westcliff University cheer team continued its rapid ascent into national prominence last month, earning top honors at the 2025 National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) College Cheer and Dance Camp held at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort.

More than 780 student-athletes from programs across the West Coast attended the three-day event, which served as both a training opportunity and a qualifier for the 2026 NCA College Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida. Teams were evaluated on their technical execution, synchronization, game day material, and ability to lead a crowd—key elements that make up modern competitive cheerleading.

Westcliff made its presence felt early and often, earning Superior ratings across all categories and finishing first in the Large Coed Advanced Open Division in both the Rally Routine and Crowd Leading Cheer segments.

The performance secured Westcliff a Gold Paid Bid to Nationals, awarded only to the top-scoring teams of the entire camp, and marked another high point for a program that has built a championship pedigree in just a few short years.

But it was the All-American Selection Competition that produced the biggest moment of the week. During the Day 2 evening session, seven Westcliff athletes were named NCA All-Americans, the most in program history.

The honorees included:

• Juan Alejandro Diaz Correa (second selection)
• Sam Chew (first selection)
• Benjamin Riscanevo Poblador (first selection)
• Rheanna Rose Shah (second selection)
• Yamile Gutierrez Casillas (second selection)
• Marie Felise Noelle Tolentino Pascua (first selection)
• Bárbara Lamonier (first selection)

"We've never had a group this large make All-American," said head coach Eric Anderson. "And every one of them earned it. They're technically sound, mentally tough, and they represent our program the right way. This is a special group."

Among those selected, Marie Felise Noelle Tolentino Pascua stands out—not only because the honor came before she had taken her first class at Westcliff, but because of her standout skillset and growing fanbase in the Philippines, her home country.

"She hasn't even started her academic journey yet, and she's already helping lead routines," Anderson said. "Her execution, poise, and stage presence are next-level. She's going to be a huge part of what we do this year."

Pascua joins a roster that is already one of the deepest and most internationally diverse in the NAIA. Returning athletes like Oscar Perez, the 2025 USA Collegiate Champion and team MVP, and Alejandro Diaz, the team captain and reigning Warrior of the Year, bring elite experience and leadership. Perez is regarded by many in the cheer community as one of the top stunters in the country. Diaz, meanwhile, is considered by Anderson to be the best tumbler in the NAIA.

"I don't say that lightly," Anderson said. "He's just built different. Alejandro shows up with intensity every day and leads by example."

The team also returns senior athletes Rheanna Shah and Yamile Casillas, both of whom earned their second All-American honors at the NCA camp. The duo's chemistry in tosses, baskets, and aerials has become a signature of Westcliff's routines.

"They've grown so much," Anderson said. "They trust each other, they push each other, and that synergy shows in every performance."

Westcliff's depth goes beyond its All-Americans. Newcomers such as Gabriel dos Santos Salviano, a freshman stunter from Brazil, and Jeffrey Saenz, an incoming graduate student and elite tumbler from the Mexican National Team, bring international pedigree and high-level experience.

"It's easily the most talented roster we've ever had," Anderson said. "There's so much we can do with this group, and we're still just getting started."

With the 2025–2026 season fast approaching, expectations are high. Westcliff enters the year as defending national champions, a title they reclaimed last season. But Anderson is careful to frame the season ahead not as a chase for perfection, but as a pursuit of growth.

"My expectations are simple," he said. "Have fun. Train hard. Compete against ourselves. Chase personal bests."

Anderson added that while winning is always the goal, maintaining team chemistry and encouraging individual development remain just as important.

"Of course we want to win," he said. "But it's also about consistency and pushing past limits—together, as a unit. That's the foundation of our program."

With Nationals on the horizon and a roster stacked with both veterans and breakout stars, Westcliff Cheer is poised for another statement season.

"We've built something real here," Anderson said. "Now it's time to defend it."