(Leavenworth, Kan.)—The University of Saint Mary has named Banen Royer head coach for the Spires Cheer & Dance Teams. Royer comes to the Saint Mary from MidAmerica Nazarene University (MNU) in Olathe, Kansas. As MNU's head cheer coach, the team placed first at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Northwest Regional Championship—qualifying for the first-ever NAIA National Cheer & Dance Championship in 2017.

Prior to coaching at MNU, Royer was the head cheer and dance coach at North Kansas City High School (NKCHS). The NKCHS squad placed first at National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Open Nationals under Royer's direction in 2015. She also served as the assistant cheer coach at William Jewell College.

Royer is a 2010 graduate of Avila University, where she cheered and competed at Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) Nationals and NAIA Heart of America Athletic Conference competitions. In May 2017, she was named to the Avila University Alumni Board.

In addition to her previous coaching duties, Royer is a building and tumbling judge for Varsity All Star, and she is a camp manager for Varsity Spirit. "Coach Royer is ready for this chance to lead our program to great heights," said USM Athletic Director Rob Miller. "Our Cheer & Dance teams are already built on a great foundation, and Coach Royer has the energy and the vision to continue to build on it."

The University of Saint Mary has 18 varsity sports programs—men's and women's wrestling, basketball, soccer, lacrosse, cross country, and track & field, as well as volleyball, football, baseball, softball, and co-ed cheerleading and dance. Go to GoSpires.com for more information on USM athletics.
 

The University of Saint Mary is a Catholic co-educational applied liberal arts university founded and sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. The University of Saint Mary main campus is located at 4100 South 4th Street, Leavenworth, Kan. USM's Overland Park Campus at 4500 College Boulevard offers evening, accelerated graduate and undergraduate degree-completion programs. The university also offers online programs. Visit stmary.edu for more information.