Conference tournaments are about basketball but also so much more: the fans, bands, cheerleaders, etc. The A-10 Tournament is taking place in Washington, DC this week and we could not be more excited to be there in person! HoopsHD will be covering all of the angles so you can look forward to a cascade of coverage in the days ahead. Jon Teitel’s next interview subject is Rhode Island cheerleader Annie Reynolds, who talked about winning a national championship and making the dean’s list.
You grew up in New Jersey: what made you choose Rhode Island? I was touring schools and when I got to Rhode Island it was rainy and the worst day ever…but my mom thought that I would end up here. It turned out to be the place where i wanted to be and the school is great.
How did you 1st get into cheerleading, and what is the best part? I did not start cheering until high school: I used to be a dancer/gymnast. I immediately fell in love with it after trying out and Rhode Island expanded my love for it. The best part is the people I met and the experiences I have with student from all over the country.
What do you think the role of a college cheerleader is today, and how has it changed over time? It has definitely changed over time: it used to be more of a sideline activity but has progressed into an elite-level sport. Not only do we participate on gameday but we complete at nationals every January. It is nice to have that secretive other side as it is becoming more recognized.
You previously helped lead your team to a national championship: where does that rank among the highlights of your career? That was easily the best moment of my life, I was a sophomore in 2020 and our coach said that we could win it all even though we had never competed at that level before. We gave it our all and the moment we found out we won was easily the best moment of my career!
You are majoring in Kinesiology/Exercise Science: why did you pick those subjects, and what do you plan to do after graduating? I knew that I wanted to do something in a sports-related field. I want to help out other athletes who are having a difficult time, as it has been very beneficial for me in the past and needs to become more acknowledged.
You made the dean’s list last semester: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It is definitely a challenge but the key is certainly time management. You need to have a schedule: we have study hall/tutoring and can always reach out to our coaches if we need more help. When you are a freshman and college is new and your schedule is crazier and you are practicing 5 times/week it takes a bit of time to get it down.
What is the atmosphere like on campus this week now that the conference tournament is here? It is crazy that we are finally here and everyone is excited. There are posters/gameday emails and it has all been great: everyone has been so supportive for this peak of the season.
How does your school decide who gets to go to DC, and what does it mean to you to see your group doing their thing in front of a national TV audience? A lot of it is based on gameday performances/availability: 1 group went to the men’s tourney and 1 went to the women’s tourney. We love the Ryan Center but it is great to come to this elite venue: the environment is incredible and I feel lucky to be a part of it.
Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for the A-10 Tournament this weekend? We have been preparing a couple of different things, but the thing the fans like most is seeing our mascot Rhody go up in the air as we spin around him!
Any prediction for your game vs. Duquesne? I have a good feeling but do not want to jinx it. The energy is so high and when we have a lot of fans in the crowd there is typically a very good outcome.