Celebrating 100 Years of Cheer!

1910s
Cheerleading began at Mizzou with the "Yell Leaders," a small, all-male group in the 1909-1910 academic year.

The first cheerleaders at Mizzou: the "Yell Leaders" in 1910 (Savitar 1910).

The "Yell Leaders" in action at the game (Courtesy of the State Historical Society of Missouri, C3422).

1920s
 Cheerleaders, as they are now called, continued to be an all-male group.

A cheerleader yells out a cheer to the crowd at the football game (Savitar, 1929).

1930s
The first females join the cheerleaders in 1937.

The first female cheerleaders from left to right: Betty Smith Jenkins, Betty Ann Ohnemus Robinson, and Jane Jones Cunningham (Courtesy of University Archives, C:1/121/4).

1940s
Mizzou Cheerleaders remain a small group of men and women at the beginning of the 1940s, but grow by the end of the decade.

Cheerleaders in 1941 (Savitar, 1941).

Cheerleading grows and uniforms become more consistent by 1949 (Savitar, 1949).

1950s
In 1954 cheerleaders were made an organization under the Student Government Association.

Cheerleaders in 1957 (Savitar, 1957).

Two cheerleaders show off their jumping skills in the mid-20th cnetury. One of these cheerleaders is Aileen Faurot Edwards (BS HE '58), the daughter of Don Faurot (Courtesy of Gary Smith).

1960s
Mizzou has its first African American cheerleader in 1965.

Audrey Wilson Rowe (BMS '67), pictured in the lower left corner, was Mizzou's first African American cheerleader (Savitar, 1965).

Cheerleader at a football game in 1967 (Savitar, 1967).

1970s
The 1970s were a prosperous time for cheerleaders.

Two cheerleaders show off their moves in 1970 (Savitar, 1970).

The tiger mascots, in the background, mimic the pose the two cheerleaders strike at a football game (Courtesy of the University Archives, C:1/141/11).

1980s
In the 1980s, cheering came under the purview of the Department of Athletics.

Cheerleaders pose in front of the M in 1980 (Savitar, 1980).

1990s
Mizzou's current cheerleading coach, Suzy Thompson, came to Mizzou in 1993. She led the 1996-1997 team to their first national championship in 1997.

The first National Championship cheerleading team at Mizzou (Savitar, 1997).

2000s
Cheering remains a strong tradition for sporting events at Mizzou.

Cheerleaders at a basketball game in 2003 (Savitar, 2003).

Cheerleader at 2003 football game (Savitar, 2003).

2010s
Cheerleaders continue to compete and place at championships.

Cheerleaders at NCA-NDA Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championships in 2016 (Courtesy of MU Cheer Squad).