CARROLLTON, Ga. - UWG Cheer is going global. 

One of the most successful programs of the last two decades in the world of competition cheerleading is getting the opportunity in early October to compete on the world stage as the University of West Georgia cheer program was selected by USA Cheer to represent the nation as the 2021 Team USA Premier All-Girl team at the International Cheer Union Virtual World Championships on Oct. 9-10.

"This is such an amazing opportunity for the team," said head coach Nicole Nichols. "I think we, the coaches, were a little nervous at first if we could get this done in such a short amount of time, but the girls stepped up, put in the work and made it happen."

In early August, Nichols and the UWG cheer program were tapped for this undertaking in an unusual situation. When USA Cheer team selections in 2020 were rolled over to 2021, and the ICU event was pushed back to this fall, the team at USA Cheer faced the challenge that much of the team originally selected was not intact. Many of the 27-time national champion cheerleaders from UWG were already a part of USA Cheer, and Nichols is part of the USA cheer staff. 

Nichols and her staff of Asia Chatman, Brionna Lannom and Brian Nichols went to work with the coaching staff of USA Cheer, combining current UWG cheerleaders with recent alumni to create an ICU-format competition routine. Working over the course of four weeks, all while preparing to cheer on the sidelines of RA-LIN Field during UWG Football's season, the team put together a routine that will be broadcast on the Olympic Channel on Oct. 9-10.

The two-day event will include an opening ceremony followed by all teams' performances. On Day 2, the ICU will host the finals for the top-10 teams in each division and awards will be presented for the top-3 in each division. The full schedule with exact times will be shared on the ICU Worlds homepage once available.   

"We are beyond thankful for all the student-athletes in the program," Nichols said. "Coed rallied around all-girl and was there for them every step of the way. They always say 'it takes a village,' and this village is genuinely one-of-a-kind and the reason for success."