OLATHE, KANSAS - The Heart of America Athletic Conference hosted the 2025 Heart Competitive Dance Conference Championship on Saturday, March 8, at the Cook Center on the campus of MidAmerica Nazarene University. Grand View University Dance secured back-to-back titles, claiming their second consecutive championship with a dominant performance.
In the preliminary round, the Vikings delivered one of their best performances of the season, earning an impressive score of 90.13. They maintained their momentum in the final round, posting an 89.90 — one of their top three scores of the season — to secure an overall score of 89.21 and claim first place. Grand View finished nearly 5.50 points ahead of the runner-up, solidifying their dominant performance.
Along with the team title, Grand View's Alexis Van Utrecht earned the prestigious Heart Dancer of the Year award. Van Utrecht received the highest score among all Heart dancers who submitted an All-Conference tryout routine ahead of the Heart Championship. Several other Vikings also earned All-Conference honors:
FIRST TEAM: Lexi Van Utrecht, Delaney Baird, Lilly Jones, Leah Smith, Ava Guy.
SECOND TEAM: Jenna Davenport
HONORABLE MENTION: Grace Richardson
With the conference title, the Vikings have secured an automatic bid to the 2025 NAIA Dance National Championship, set for March 28-29 in Ypsilanti, MI.
2025 Heart Competitive Dance Team Scores:
1st Place - Grand View University - 89.21
2nd Place - Baker University - 83.73
3rd Place - Mount Mercy University - 81.57
4th Place - William Penn University - 80.03
5th Place - Graceland University - 78.67
6th Place - Benedictine College - 72.63
7th Place - Missouri Valley College - 59.30
FROM THE COACHES
"We are immensely proud of our team's finish and the exceptional quality of their performances. The results achieved at the Heart of America Conference Championship stand as compelling evidence of our athletes' remarkable resilience. Despite encountering several challenges along the way, the team demonstrated outstanding adaptability by successfully rising to meet each obstacle. They skillfully incorporated new elements into their routine while, most significantly, maintaining the cohesive team dynamic that has been fundamental to their success. We are absolutely thrilled to represent GV as we head back to the national championship!" Said head coach (KK) Kelsey Nichols, and assistant coach Nikki VanRaalte.
