West Nassau (Fla.) High School’s competitive cheerleading team has vacated it’s 2026 state championship title after self-reporting the use of an ineligible student-athlete in the postseason competition.
According to News 4 Jax, the Florida High School Athletic Association conducted an investigation following West Nassau’s report of the ineligible student-athlete.
The ineligible student-athlete was a sub for an original team member who suffered an injury in December. Unfortunately, the deadline to declare team rosters passed on Dec. 6, and the FHSAA requires 13 to 16 student-athletes to be on the mat for a medium, non-tumbling competition.
To satisfy the minimum number of student-athletes at an earlier competition, West Nassau had the ineligible student-athlete “just standing on the mat to fulfill the 13-athlete requirement and not competing in the routine.”
Because the student-athlete had “competed” in that meet, West Nassau believed they were eligible. School officials said they “interpreted the student-athlete was eligible, and the team met the required number of minimum competitions to qualify for state. The athlete had been on the team in two previous seasons.”
One week prior to the state championship competition, FHSAA administrator of athletics Danille Hogle told the West Nassau coach that “since the athlete competed in regionals, they are technically not eligible to participate here at State and any awards would be revoked.”
West Nassau went on to compete at the state championships anyway, including the ineligible student-athlete. As a result they have vacated the victory at the state championship and been fined $100 by FHSAA. The school will have the opportunity to appeal the FHSAA’s findings if they choose.
