DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Towson University cheerleading team finished second overall with a team score of 9.065 at the 2012 National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Collegiate National Championship. The University of Texas at San Antonio won the event with a score of 9.500.

The Tigers, who went into Nationals undefeated locally, were one of eight teams that automatically advanced to the finals after placing in the top half of their competitive 15-team All Girl 1 (FCS and Division-I basketball) category. 

It was the third consecutive year the Tigers finished in the top four places in the event. In 2010, the team finished in fourth place and in 2011, Towson finished third.

The improvement shown by the Tigers, who took 11 freshmen, five sophomores, three juniors and one senior to the event, pleased Towson Head Coach Edy Pratt.

"It was huge," Pratt said. "We surprised everyone and I'm so proud of our girls. They did an amazing job."

Towson Cheer is a game-based program that competes at NCA College Nationals every April.