Yesterday Illinois beat Drexel by 29 PTS in the 1st round of the NCAA tourney and will face Loyola-Chicago in the 2nd round tomorrow. The Illini started 9-5 this season but won 15 of 16 since then as they try to reach the Sweet 16 the 1st time since 2005. 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 today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Becca Squier about being a captain and not being able to join the basketball team in Indianapolis this weekend.
You grew up in Elmhurst, IL: what made you choose Illinois for college? Both of my parents went to U of I so I grew up coming to basketball/football games. I have always loved the Illini but the deciding factor was making the cheer team. I was deciding between Illinois and Michigan State so once I made the team I decided to come here and am happy that I did.
You used to be a competitive gymnast and have been cheering for almost a decade: what is your favorite part of being a cheerleader? In college we get great opportunities: it is so fun to travel with the basketball/football teams. As a sophomore we cheered at Madison Square Garden for a basketball game vs. Maryland: we stayed in the heart of New York City for 5 days and it was awesome.
You have been a captain for the past 2 years: what is the key to being a good leader? Mostly it is about leading by example: being on time, working hard in practice, keeping everyone focused, etc. You have to be approachable so that your teammates know they can talk to you about anything.
What does the cheer team do at basketball games during a normal year? We sit under the basket and then go out during every media timeout for stunts/tumbling. We cheer at men’s and women’s games so we split up into 2 teams: the juniors/seniors usually cheer at the big men’s games but there is some inter-mixing. We cheer at every home game and only travel for Big 10/NCAA tourney games. We also do a halftime routine once/year to showcase all of our skills.
What do you think the role of a college cheer team is today, and how has it changed over time? I definitely think that cheerleading has evolved over time. The job is to still cheer on the team but it is more skill-based now than in the past. The tryouts get harder every years as boys/girls come in with more skills: you need to be very athletic.
You are majoring in Econometrics & Quantitative Economics: why did you pick those subjects, and what is the post-graduation plan? I like economics and want to work in IT on the business side. Econometrics gives me the best of both worlds with statistics/economics. I like math/numbers: it is a new major so it is cool to be part of the 1st class to graduate with that major. After graduation I will be working as an IT project manager with Zebra Technologies.
How do you like basketball, and is that your favorite sport? I love basketball! It is my favorite season and I grew up watching the Bulls/college basketball with my dad. March Madness is a big thing and is on TV all day.
Last Sunday the Illini had a 3-PT OT win over Ohio State in the Big 10 tourney title game: how excited was the student body after the win gave the team its 1st NCAA tourney appearance since 2013? It was crazy. I was actually at the Big 10 tourney…but not as a performer: the athletic department got tickets for all of the senior cheerleaders to attend, which was super-fun. There were so many Illini fans at the game: the crowd seemed to be all-orange. Everyone went crazy on campus: they stormed our quad and there were people everywhere in the streets.
Due to COVID your team has been unable to participate this season and you will not be traveling with the team to Indianapolis this weekend: how frustrating is it to be a cheerleader for a great basketball team during a pandemic? It definitely stings! It is awesome to see the team play so well so I try to see the bright side of it. Everyone at school is super-excited. It has been different but I still try to have fun with it while cheering them on from home.
You are playing Loyola-Chicago tomorrow: any predictions? I remember a few years ago when Loyola made the Final 4 but I am going for the Illini. There is always some controversy about who is Chicago’s team and I have some friends at Loyola so it a fun rivalry.