NU Pep Squad during the 2024 UAAP Cheerdance Competition at Mall of Asia Arena.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — National University Pep Squad went out of this world to reclaim the throne it lost last year.
NU Pep Squad ruled the 2024 UAAP Cheerdance Competition for a record-tying eighth crown on Sunday in front of a loud 19,121 crowd at Mall of Asia Arena.
After settling for a runner-up finish last year in coach Gab Bajacan’s first season as head coach, the Cheerdance Competition powerhouse took their routine to a higher notch with gravity-defying stunts and out-of-this-world pyramids.
READ: NU coach confident to find right mix for next UAAP Cheerdance
NU Pep Squad’s outer space-inspired routine.
#UAAPCDC2024 #NUniverse
@INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/yZyZC7mnlI— Lance Agcaoili (@LanceAgcaoilINQ) December 1, 2024
From start to finish, NU brought the house down, proving to be on a mission wearing its NASA suits until it flaunted its galaxy-clad outfit with a superhuman routine including a windmill-like pyramid — a stunt that the UAAP hasn’t seen in the past decades since UST’s helicopter in its 2006 title run.
NU’s Elvis Presley-themed performance last year finished as runner-up, losing to FEU’s Super Mario Bros-title clinching routine by just 0.68 points.
NU, which joined UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe and UP Pep Squad with the most titles, garnered 713 points, topping all departments with 91.5 points in stunts, 91 in tosses, 86.5 in tumbling, 85 in pyramid, and 368 in dance despite a nine-point deduction.
“’Yung suporta talaga ng management namin and the NU community, ‘yung program ana patuloy naming pinapataas pa rin. Hindi kami nagiging stagnant, patuloy kaming naga-achieve pa ng something new for the UAAP cheerdance competition,” said Bajacan after winning his first crown as head coach.
NU swept all eight special awards worth P 140,000 cash incentives and the grand prize of 100,000.
“Sobrang hindi po namin inexpect. Siguro masyado lang kaming hard sa sarili namin. We did not expect itong award na to. The whole competitors sobrang nag-step up lahat sila, Nakita namin yung dedication ng bawat team ngayon, so we did not expect na mananalo kami,” said Bajacan “Naging hard lang talaga kami. Lagi kaming “kaya ba? kaya ba?” It’s not a very easy journey for us kasi lagi kaming naghihintay ng perfect run for the past few weeks na papunta rito sa December 1. Talagang ayaw pa sa aming ibigay ni God yun. Di talaga namin inexpect na magcha-champion kami this season.”
Adamson Pep Squad returned to the podium with a silver medal finish after making the crowd sing through its karaoke-inspired routine with 679.5 points — the second least deduction with three points.
FEU Cheering Squad, which won two of the last three competitions, settled for bronze after wrapping up the midseason spectacle with Disney’s Frozen performance with 650 points.
Adamson and FEU brought home 60,000 and 40,000, respectively.
UE Pep Squad danced to the classic novelty pop songs of Sexbomb Girls missing the podium at fourth place with 641 points, with the lowest deduction of two points.
UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe, which finished third in the past two seasons, also failed to make the cut with its nostalgic batang 90s performance that garnered 634.5 points in fifth place.
UP Pep Squad brought summer vibes with its routine, finishing sixth with 560 points.
De La Salle Animo Squad chess-inspired performance placed seventh with 525 points, while the Ateneo Blue Eagles told the story of the universe to kick off the festivities but ended up last with 490 points — the team with most deductions of 30.