Purdue twirlers win national titles in Tennessee

Purdue's twirlers, led by Golden Girl Christy Stallings, won major awards at the Intercollegiate National Baton Twirling Championships on Saturday, Jan. 21, at Cumberland University in Lebanon , Tenn.

It marked the first time the twirlers had entered the competition as a team and the second time Stallings competed. The annual event draws featured twirlers from colleges and universities all over the United States .

Topping 16 other competitors, Stallings won the multiple-baton freestyle event with an original routine set to a medley of Purdue fight songs.

The full team of eight Purdue twirlers also won the Collegiate Team Division title. Their routine included "a lot of baton exchange work, interaction and creative choreography set to Purdue music and ending with Hail Purdue," says Alisha Kuckartz, Auxiliary Director for Purdue University Bands who works with the twirlers.

Members of the team include Stallings, Girl in Black Tierney Brown, Silver Twins Morgan and Megan VonDielingen, Daria DeMarco, Carrie McPeek, Michelle Poludniak and Hiliary Swardson.

The team will perform a portion of their winning show on Feb. 9 at the Purdue's women's basketball game and on Feb. 11 at the Purdue men's basketball game.