In a sport that usually sees athletes head to UAFS Cheer or join the Razorback Cheer squad, for Luke Brandt, it was further north. Brandt signed with the University of Minnesota Gophers.
When it comes to success in the sport of collegiate spirit squads, Minnesota is to that sport as the Razorbacks are to Track and Field. Boasting 30 National Championships, the dance team holds 24, while cheer and the mascot Goldy Gopher make up the rest. Most recently, the cheer team was back-to-back National Champions for 2025 and 2026.
It is that type of success that drew Luke Brandt to the squad. As a back-to-back State Champ and a National Champion in high school, it put the Greenwood senior in the right spot. “Just the community and the family atmosphere on the cheer team. They’re so close nit.” Luke Brandt said on choosing Minnesota. “They lean on each other and have each other’s backs. They’re just such a hard-working group and have won the past two nationals. It’s just really competitive.”
Going to a Big 10 Power 4 school, no matter the sport, is still a big accomplishment. “I’m so excited. I never thought I’d be able to, I mean, I always wanted to be a D1 cheerleader, but now that it’s actually happening. It’s crazy.” Brandt said.
Luke Brandt has been a part of the Greenwood Cheer Squad since the seventh grade. While Greenwood fielded Co-Ed teams in the past with success at the national level, the current team is not. That did not stop Luke from giving it his all with his squad.
“I think it’s just hard work and the drive to be better,” Brandt said regarding his time in Greenwood Cheer. “We don’t get complacent about anything. It is always we can get better. Nothing is just normal for us, it’s always like working hard.”
“It wasn’t what I wanted, but I was able to still have the same drive, and it didn’t really bother me that I wasn’t able to compete. Because I just liked the community of the team. And it was about the team.” Luke Brandt said. “It was still winning, we are family and went together.”
Throughout his career at Greenwood, the coaching team of Rachel and Jody Presson was there to build that foundation. A year ago, they announced they were stepping down; the successor was not too far away in Jill Clark. Coach Clark was already building a State Champion Blue Dazzler dance team, and today she got to see two of her athletes sign to cheer and dance collegiately.
“At the beginning of the year, usually the junior year of all my athletes, we talk through ‘Okay, what are your next plans, like next goals’. Because I want to spend their Senior year really focusing on what that looks like for them.” Coach Clark said about the process of Luke going from Greenwood to Minnesota. “Originally, in the fall, he went to an OU clinic. He really liked the University of Oklahoma. But something about Minnesota just stood out to him. It’s in the north, a very legendary program. I don’t think people fully grasp in the south that Minnesota cheer has a very big name for themselves.
“It’s one of the greatest honors to watch these kids go next level. Getting to have them for three years in the High School program is just like it’s a treasure, it’s the greatest part of being a coach.” Coach Clark said.
