The Lion Line won its seventh title at the National College Dance Team Championships Jan. 14 and 15.
The team performed open jazz and hip-hop routines and placed first in the open jazz division.
It was the second time Lion Line captured the open jazz title; the first came in 2015.
When the team was announced the winner, sophomore dancer Gina Bundra said she was overcome with emotion.
“There were instant tears, and I thought, ‘We did it,’” she said. “That one moment was totally worth the work. All glory to God!”
The team also placed third in the hip-hop division, which they have won five times.
The Lions danced against 17 other collegiate teams and finished in the No. 1 spot, in front of the University of Saint Thomas and the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Over winter break, the team practiced twice a day. In previous years, the Lion Line spent the first week of J-term preparing for nationals. However, this year they had to find a balance between starting the new semester and attending lengthy practices.
At the competition, the Lions brought the heat to the performance floor with a dance routine about relying on one another.
“There were no nerves backstage, just many emotions and excitement to put their trust in God that he would allow them to perform their absolute best,” Bundra said.
In the end, they brought a gold medal back to Lindenwood.