Last Sunday Utah State earned an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Aggies started this year 12-3 and are now back in the NCAA tourney for the 2nd time since 2019. In addition to shining a light on the players who got the job done on the court, it is also important to recognize the spirited students who have worked just as hard on the sidelines, such as band members/cheerleaders/dancers. Earlier this week HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Vanessa Woolley about getting engaged and not being able to join the basketball team in Indianapolis this week.
You grew up in Logan, UT, and have been going to Aggie basketball games all of your life: was it an easy decision to choose Utah State for college? I have always known that I wanted to attend Utah State! I come from a line of Aggies so being an Aggie was my first choice. By the time I graduated from high school I had already made it onto the USU Spirit Squad, so that made an easy decision even easier. I love all of the athletic events, the campus, the professors, and being able to be near my family. I have had the best college experience here and could not be happier with my decision to attend Utah State.
You have been an Aggiette on the USU Spirit Squad for the last 4 years: what is your favorite part of being a dancer? It is hard to pick just one favorite thing. I would say 6AM practices in the Spectrum, football halftimes with the Aggie Marching Band, performing the Scotsman in front of a full student section at basketball games, and all of the trips I have gone on with the team!
What does the dance team do at basketball games during a normal year? We usually begin during pregame where we do a starting lineup for the basketball team, then help run the team onto the court and perform the Fight Song and Scotsman. During the game we get to call cheers from the sideline and perform dances to the band music. At halftime and postgame we go out on the court to perform the Fight Song and Scotsman again. We also get to perform during two timeouts. Sometimes we dance to one side with our cheer squad doing a stunt routine to the other. Other timeouts could be just Aggiettes, just cheer, or combined routines. During the year we get a few halftimes as well. Two of these are our theme show where we dress up in different costumes to match the theme that we have chosen and our team introductions at the end of the year!
What do you think the role of a college dance team is today, and how has it changed over time? Beyond entertaining the crowd, I think that the role of a college dance team is to be a representative of the university. When you make the team, you are on the front lines and need to be an example. There are so many young fans and people around the community who are watching you and look up to you. I think this has always been true but is even bigger these days with all of the social media that we use.
At the 2019 NCAA tourney you got to dance for the Aggies when they faced Washington: how did you enjoy your experience in Columbus? Being at that NCAA tournament is such a special memory. I really enjoyed Columbus: there was so much excitement and it was cool to see all of the big teams, other spirit squads, and fans from everywhere. It was amazing to be standing on that floor! We got to do a few pep rallies for our fans and it was great to see the Aggie family in Ohio supporting our team. I am especially glad that I got that chance that year since last year’s tournament was cancelled and this year we cannot be there.
You got engaged earlier this year: what is the plan for the big day? I got engaged in January on Old Main Hill at Utah State! We are planning to have the wedding this summer in Logan on August 20th. My fiancé is also an Aggie and we met at Utah State.
How do you like basketball, and is that your favorite sport? I love cheering at basketball games: nothing is quite like the Spectrum! I love being so close to the fans and the game. I also love the fast pace of basketball so it is definitely the sport I enjoy watching the most. Both of my brothers play basketball and I grew up watching them and going to Aggie basketball games, so I think this has all contributed to basketball being my favorite sport.
Last Saturday Utah State had an 11-PT loss to San Diego State in the MWC tourney title game: how nervous were you on Selection Sunday, and how did it feel to hear your team’s name called? I was unsure what to expect, which made it even more exciting to hear their name called! Even though they did not win the tournament this year I was still hopeful that we would get in after beating Colorado State in the semifinals.
Due to COVID your team has been unable to participate this season and you will not be traveling with the team to Indianapolis this week: how frustrating is it to be a dancer for a great basketball team during a pandemic? It has been very frustrating. With this being my senior year, it has been difficult to miss opportunities like being at the Mountain West tournament, the NCAA tournament, and dancing live on the court. However, we are so lucky to have been there for as many moments as we were this year! We got to cheer from the stands in the Spectrum and made video routines to display on the Jumbotron. I am just lucky that I had all of the experiences I did before the pandemic hit. Our basketball team has been so fun to cheer for over the last four years. I am happy that they have had another successful season and am excited to watch them play this weekend!
You are playing Texas Tech on Friday: any predictions? AGGIES ALL THE WAY! Both schools have great basketball programs but I think the Aggies have a great shot at getting the win.