COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Competing in the second year of the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Competitive Dance Championship hosted by Columbia College, the University of St. Francis dance team captured a fourth-place finish at the Arena of Southwell Complex in Columbia, Mo. on Saturday.

St. Francis held a fourth-place hold after posting a preliminary-round score of 87.00, and earned a final round tally of 86.00 during the second round.  The combination of the two scores saw USF finish with a total score of 86.25, allowing the Saints to stay in front of Columbia University (Mo.) (79.67) for the fourth-place finish.

The total score is calculated by adding 25 percent of the preliminary score with 75 percent of the final score.

St. Ambrose University repeated as conference champions and was rewarded with the top score of the event, earning a total score of 93.51.  SAU did not receive a point deduction in either round, which helped the Bees overtake second-place Viterbo University (Wis.), who closed the competition with a total score of 91.14.

USF Dance Team members consisted of freshmen Isabelle Alberico, Bailee Berdis, Emma McGuire, sophomores Sara Borik, Anna Bremer, Addison Decker, Grace Gawenda, juniors Alyssa Hoffman, Kathleen Norton and seniors Cierra Cosentino, Aleksandria Potoczny and Stefanie Schellhorn

Other placements in the competition saw Oklahoma City University (86.70) capture third and St. Xavier University (75.60) round out the event in sixth.

Headlining the list of conference award winners was Viterbo's Trey'lon Salley who was named the AMC Performer of the Year.  AMC Newcomer of the Year honors were secured by St. Francis' Grace Gawenda, while the last top individual player honor went to Viterbo's Erika Laskey, who was named the AMC Freshman of the Year.

Viterbo head coach Anna Luz was named the 2026 AMC Coach of the Year, an honor she was also awarded one year ago.

Six Saints - Bailee Berdis, Sara Borik, Addison Decker, Grace Gawenda, Emma McGuire and Aleksandria Potoczny - earned the distinction of 2026 AMC All-Conference selections with all performers being named to the ten-member second team.  Berdis also earned the same distinction one year ago.  Stefanie Schellhorn rounded out the septet of player accolades with her selection to the six-member AMC Competitive Dance Champions of Character grouping.

Up Next
The Saints will now focus on the NAIA Championships which will take place at the Arena of Southwell Complex in Columbia, Mo. on March 27-28.