OU alum to take cheer back to Nationals

Mustang cheerleaders will have a new spring in their step thisfall thanks to the arrival of new spirit coordinator andcheerleading coach Zac Brannon.

“I’m really looking forward to starting the schoolyear,” Brannon said.

Brannon’s top goal is for the cheerleading squad to benational champions this year.

“The group placed second last year,” Brannon said,”so I want them to work hard, come together as a group, andwin the title.”

Junior cheerleader Ashley Whisnant said that Brannon has broughtnew ideas to help the team achieve its goals for the comingyear.

“He can teach us new techniques,” Whisnant said,”and he’ll especially be able to help out the guys andget them to be their best.”

Brannon said he doesn’t plan on making any big changes tothe cheerleading program, and he wants the squad to continue as oneof the campus’ top supporters of the athletic teams.

Tim Moore, associate director of recreational sports, said thatBrannon brings several assets to the job.

“He is an expert and champion in cheerleading,”Moore said.

Moore began the search by posting the position on the SMU CareerCenter site and contacting leading cheerleading groups, such as theNational Cheerleading Association. Moore then narrowed down thecandidate field and Brannon emerged as the final choice.

“He had been at SMU many times for our summer cheer camps,so he was already familiar with the program,” Moore said.

The job is more than just coaching the cheerleading squad.According to Moore, the position involves overseeing the livemascot and its handlers and the Mustang pom squad.

“We really needed someone who could not only coach but runthe department on the business side,” said Moore.

One of the reasons Brannon chose SMU was its business program atthe Cox School.

“I wanted to go somewhere to work on my MBA and the schoolat SMU was a good choice,” Brannon said.

Brannon cheered at the University of Oklahoma from 1998 until2003. During that time he won the 2001 National Partner StuntChampionship.

“His college cheering experience will definitely help outa lot,” Whisnant said. ” . . . He can lead us in theright direction so we can be a top squad.”

Both Brannon and Whisnant said the upcoming football seasonshould be exciting.

“I’m looking forward to learning and being a part ofall the SMU traditions,” Brannon said.