The Temple Diamond Gems dance team recently shined on the biggest stage for college dance, placing fourth and 10th in the nation in game day and hip-hop categories respectively at the 2025 UCA and UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship Jan. 17–19. It has been two years since Temple last made it to the finals in hip-hop, so it was one of the team’s goals to return to finals. 

The Owls took to the stage before a sold-out arena at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida, grooving their way to being recognized as one of the best dance teams in the nation. Temple’s routines at Nationals showcased high levels of athleticism through precision, strength and synchronized dance movements, displaying what it takes to be a Diamond Gem. 

Many of the Owls’ performances in Orlando also went viral, garnering millions of views on TikTok and other social media sites.  

“It feels great to be recognized for the incredible work that these athletes put into their craft, especially the increase in social media presence this year,” said Jennifer Keller, Spirit Squad director and Diamond Gems head coach. “The crowd response was incredible, including a standing ovation and a lot of talk about what Temple brought to the Nationals stage this year.”  

Lyndsey Rappold, a senior captain on the Diamond Gems, said she was proud to represent Temple on such a large stage and excited that college dance is growing in popularity as more are investing in the competitive sport.   

“It felt amazing to showcase Temple, being on a national stage to represent the school through dance,” said Rappold. “I’m very grateful that dance is getting the great recognition it deserves and all of the support that everybody gives to all the schools and the energy from the crowd allows us to perform better.”  

The Diamond Gems had an intensive training session for six weeks leading up to Nationals, practicing up to eight hours a day, watching film and cleaning their dance routine to ensure every movement was precise, all while continuing to perform at the Temple men and women’s basketball games. 

“A lot of hard work and determination from the team, coaches and staff goes into it, for we work all year for this one moment on the national stage,” Rappold added. “It’s a testament to how much we love Temple and the dance team.”  

During the game day finals, the Owls danced to the school’s fight song “Fight Temple, Fight” with components of Tag Team’s “Whoomp (There it is)” and Nelly’s “Hot in Herre.” The Diamond Gems opted to change the “whoomp” to “hoot, there it is” in honor of Temple’s mascot Hooter the Owl, who was incorporated into the team’s game day dance routine. The Temple coaches and professional dancer Kenzie Sherry choreographed the Owls’ dazzling game-day routine that earned them the right to be recognized amongst the nation’s best.  

Keller said their game day routine symbolized their Temple pride.  

“They showed their passion, energy and commitment to the school and what it’s like back in Philly,” said Keller. “As soon as they ran onto the floor, I knew they were about to put on a show that would have everyone talking about Temple.”  

For the hip-hop finals, the Owls brought a dance-pop kind of energy to the stage, performing a routine to Justin Timberlake’s love song “Like I Love You” choreographed by Brandi Tucker. The team stylistically incorporated their male dancers who shared a love story with female dancers, with subtle hints sprinkled throughout the routine before the male dancers were eventually brought together. 

“We wanted this performance to tell a story that was meaningful and representative of our team and our university’s diverse and inclusive culture,” said Keller.  

Keller added that fans not only get invested in these storylines, but the dance routines have become even more athletic, incorporating more acrobatics that gymnasts and cheerleaders have traditionally done. 

“For years families of dancers and cheerleaders mostly attended national dance events, but it has become so popular that even fans who are not necessarily experts in dance or cheer enjoy it,” Coach Keller said. “There’s that entertainment value and each year there’s a new suspense of what are they going to do next.”