The driving force of Cougar spirit is tough to beat.
Taucha Hogue, a logistics and supply chain technology senior and finalist in CBSSports.com’s College Cheerleader of the Year competition, can attest to that.
Hogue, who has been a member of the Cougar Dolls dance team for three years, began the competition in December as one of 16 cheerleaders in the running, and has since progressed to the finals against a cheerleader from the University of Arkansas.
"I think it has raised school spirit a lot," Hogue said. "We’re not always seen as one of the biggest schools, but through this competition we’ve shown that we can compete with them. We have just as much pride and passion as they do, if not more."
Music education freshman Lee Redfearn didn’t know Hogue when he joined her campaign, but he didn’t need to. All that mattered to him was that a fellow Cougar needed support.
"I just want to see the University win something, because any victory for the University of Houston is a victory worth going for," Redfearn said.
Redfearn, a saxophonist in the Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching Band, made a T-shirt that read "U of H vote 4 Taucha" and used the publicity of Saturday’s nationally televised men’s basketball game against Arizona to get Hogue more votes.
"I put it up on a music stand…. It was in plain view (throughout the game)," Redfearn said. "I tried to put it in a place where ESPN would show it on TV."
Hogue recognizes all her supporters, both those who knew her before the competition and those who joined to show their school pride.
"They are the ones that have helped me progress so far, and I could not have gotten this far without them," Hogue said.
To vote for Taucha, go to www.sportsline.com/spin.
