ORLANDO, Fla. — The Lenape Valley Regional High School varsity cheerleading team competed recently at the 2026 National High School Cheerleading Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, representing the school on the national stage.
The 22-member team is coached by Mariah Millan, AnnaMarie Verdon and Veronica Blazier. The squad, which will graduate eight seniors this season, is the only Lenape Valley athletic program that competes at the national level.
During the 2025–26 season, the Patriots earned several major honors, including the Game Day State championship, a UCA Regional title, multiple first-place finishes and Grand Champion awards. The team has also reached the national finals in the Game Day division in each of the past two years.
At the national competition in Orlando, Lenape Valley recorded the highest score among New Jersey teams in the Medium Game Day division.
The team also advanced its Traditional routine beyond preliminary rounds for the first time in seven years. Competing against 77 teams from across the country in one of the event’s most competitive divisions, Lenape Valley finished 14th overall.
Coaches said the performance reflected the team’s growth, preparation and consistency throughout the season as the program continues to compete at a high level.
