Brutus Buckeye claims national title as Ohio State shines at ADA Nationals

Liv Rinaldi
Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:22:54 +0000
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Brutus Buckeye hoists the national championship trophy for the mascot division following his win at the 2026 UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Saturday. Credit: Ohio State Athletics

Ohio State’s spirit program left Orlando with more hardware—and Brutus Buckeye led the charge.

Brutus won the Division IA Mascot national championship Saturday at the 2026 UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship, held Jan. 16–18 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The victory marked Brutus’ first national title in the mascot division since 2019, capping a weekend that saw Ohio State collect multiple championships across spirit disciplines.

Mascots must first qualify for nationals through a preliminary video submission, with only the top 10 competitors nationwide advancing to the live event. Those video scores account for 50% of the final score, with the remaining half determined by an in-person performance.

Brutus delivered a 90-second, bank heist–themed routine during Saturday’s finals, portraying a quest for a championship ring. The performance, written by members of Ohio State’s spirit squad in collaboration with coaching staff, combined physical comedy, choreography and audience interaction—all elements emphasized in mascot judging criteria.

Brutus finished ahead of Minnesota’s Goldy Gopher, who placed second, and Tennessee’s Smokey, who took third.

Ohio State continued its success beyond the mascot competition.?

The Buckeyes opened the weekend by winning the Division IA Spirit Game Day national championship, marking their third consecutive title in the category. Ohio State also claimed its third straight Division IA Jazz championship, while finishing third in Pom.

Ohio State cheer is led by first-year head coach Kelsea Giantonio, while the dance and spirit teams are directed by Melissa McGhee. The mascot program is coached by Ray Sharp and Tim Thiel.