Last Sunday Memphis beat Houston 75-65 in the AAC tourney title game to clinch an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Tigers lost a pair of games to the Cougars during the past few weeks by a combined 10 PTS but the 3rd time was the charm as they claimed the school’s 2nd straight NCAA tourney bid. 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 Memphis pom member Anna Merritt about teaching the next generation of dancers.
You are from Nashville, TN: what made you choose Memphis? The dance team and the program that Coach Carol Lloyd has created. I wanted to continue dancing while continuing my education: it just felt like home.
You have been dancing for most of your life: how did you 1st get into it, and what is the best part? I tried soccer for a couple of years…but it did not go over that well. There is a dance studio 5 minutes from my house and my mom suggested I try that instead. When you are with those people 24/7 it becomes like a family so the friendships are the best thing that have come out of it.
You are studying Exercise Sport & Movement Science: why did you choose those subjects? In high school I had an elective focus on health sciences and it just registered very well in my brain. All of my orthopedists/physical therapists have made a positive impact on my life so I want to make that kind of impact on the lives of other athletes.
You also teach at a local dance studio called Sequel Dance Complex: how old are your students and what kind of dancing do you teach? I teach kids from ages 3-18 and all different styles: contemporary, hip-hop, and everything else.
What is the post-graduation plan? As of now my plan is to finish up my degree at Memphis and then go to PT or PA school. I will apply to the Tennessee College of Health Sciences so I plan to be around Memphis for quite a while.
Your team lost to Houston twice in the regular season but then beat them last Sunday in the AAC tourney title game: where does that last game rank among the most exciting that you have ever seen? I was at the 1st 2 games but was not at the AAC tourney. Even while watching the game last weekend on TV I could still feel all of the emotion on the faces of the players and our squad on the sideline.
What is the mood like on campus now that the NCAA tourney is here? I think that everyone is excited to see how far we can go. More people are getting engaged in athletics after seeing how much of an impact the team has made this year.
How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your group doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? The travel decision ultimately belongs to the coach. It depends on how many appearances we have made throughout the season as well as our grades. We are super-excited to dance/cheer at the game because we have not really traveled to an event like this before.
Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for the NCAA tourney? No, we will just do our same-old same-old and cause a ruckus on the sideline while cheering for our boys!
Any predictions for the Tigers on Friday night in Columbus? I feel like we will win so I am excited.