Last Tuesday Saint Mary’s beat Gonzaga 69-60 in the WCC tourney title game to earn an automatic bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Gaels have won 26+ games for 3 straight years and are heading back to the NCAA tourney for the 3rd year in a row. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Saint Mary’s cheerleader Peyton Prebil about her team’s remarkable run.
You are from Peoria, AZ, but your whole family went to St. Mary’s: was it the easiest decision of your life to follow in their footsteps? When my siblings were attending Saint Mary’s, I was constantly asked if I would follow in their footsteps and complete our family’s legacy. Truthfully, I was not planning on attending Saint Mary’s. Since I made many trips to Moraga to visit my siblings, I felt like I had already gotten the Saint Mary’s experience through them. Because of this, I wanted to experience something different for my college years! However, since I was deciding where I wanted to attend school during the height of the pandemic, I chose to attend Saint Mary’s because it has always felt like home. Thank goodness I chose to be a Gael like my parents and siblings because it has been the best four years! Plus, having my whole family bonded with our shared college experience has been so special.
You are majoring in Communications: why did you choose that subject? Ultimately, I chose to be a comm major because of the versatility it offers. By studying communication at Saint Mary’s, I have developed in a plethora of ways. Specifically, my communication studies have improved my capability to think profoundly, write and communicate adequately, and collaborate with others. Ultimately, attending Saint Mary’s College as a communication major has equipped me to be a more well-rounded individual.
You are a senior: what is the post-graduation plan? Right now, I am leaning towards starting a career in either Public Relations or Social Media Marketing. In the future, I have an interest in furthering my education by attending Law School.
You are a captain (as your sister was a few years ago): what is the key to being a good leader? When my sister was a captain on the Spirit Team, I always admired her ability to lead her team with such poise. During my time as captain, I have learned that one key element to being a good leader is setting a good example. For instance, having a positive attitude. Since my fellow captains and I help lead the team, it is important to make sure that we set the standard for our teammates. While coming into practice or a game day, I always make sure to arrive with a ready to work attitude. More importantly, I make sure I am kind, flexible, and a good listener. When being part of a team, it is crucial to cultivate a positive and welcoming environment!
How long have you been cheering for, and what is the best part of being on the cheer team? Believe it or not, I have only been cheering for the last three years! Unfortunately, we could not cheer on the sidelines during my freshman year due to Covid-19 restrictions. However, I have been dancing since I was 2 years old! Undoubtedly, the best part about being on the Spirit Team is getting the opportunity to be involved within the Saint Mary’s community. During my time on the Spirit Team, I have had the best moments interacting with our fans and cheering for our Gaels! When the UCU Pavilion is packed, there is nothing like it: it is the best atmosphere!
What was your favorite memory from this season: beating New Mexico in November, beating UNLV in double-OT in Phoenix in December, beating Gonzaga on the road in February, other? Since I have grown up with the intense Saint Mary’s-Gonzaga rivalry, watching the Gaels beat Gonzaga on the road last month was the best! However, winning the WCC Championship in Las Vegas was my favorite moment from this season. Nothing felt better than watching the confetti fall down and celebrating with my team!
How does your school decide who gets to go to the NCAA tourney, and what will it mean to you to see your team doing its thing in front of a national TV audience? Each year, we have been lucky enough to bring all dancers on the Spirit Team to the NCAA tournament. Since we are only allowed to have 12 dancers on the court, we do a rotation system. However, our coach makes sure that everyone gets to dance at least once. Getting the chance to perform and cheer in front of a national TV audience is such an amazing opportunity. Since not every team makes it into the tournament, we feel so lucky that we get to continue dancing into March! With this in mind, I cannot wait to see us shine and represent Saint Mary’s on a national level!
This is your school’s 3rd NCAA tourney in a row: did you get to cheer in Portland in 2022/Albany in 2023? This will be my third time cheering at the NCAA tournament since I got to travel to both Portland and Albany. When my sister was on the team she only got to go to the NCAA tournament once. With her experience in mind, I feel so grateful that our team has been eligible to go over the last few years! Even though I love cheering at our home games in the UCU, cheering at the NCAA tournament is unlike anything else!
Does your squad have anything extra-special planned for Spokane? For the NCAA tournament, we bring our favorite routines. Since we have multiple routines throughout the season, we select the ones that we feel the most confident in and the ones that we feel get the crowd the most excited. Ultimately, we want to make sure that we are putting our best foot forward! Additionally, we always perform at a pre-game party for alumni and fans to get them excited for the game!
Any predictions for your game on Friday vs. Grand Canyon? We cannot wait to cheer on our Gaels this Friday against GCU! Since we are coming off of a championship win, I think the team will bring good energy and hopefully get a win!