Western Carolina University

Western Carolina cheerleading alum and assistant coach Lauren Brooks was named the next head coach of the Catamount Cheerleading program, officially taking the position on June 12, 2023. She has been a part of the cheerleading squad over the past six years including five as a student-athlete and last year as an assistant coach.
 
Brooks is the fifth-consecutive cheerleading coach to come through the WCU program. She follows in the footsteps of Kim Cherry-Beck, Ashley Morgan Crowe, Kourtney Kirby Sandefur, and most recently, Caitlyn Davis.
 
Brooks has been involved with cheerleading for nearly 20 years including 15 years of all-star competitive cheer, and scholastically through middle school and at Orange High School. During her time as a cheer student-athlete at WCU, Brooks was a part of the Catamount team competing at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) competition in Daytona Beach, Fla.
 
Originally from Hillsborough, N.C., Brooks is a two-time graduate of WCU, receiving a bachelor of science degree in recreational therapy in 2022 and earning her Master of Health Management in May 2023 with a 4.0-grade point average. She also works as a recreational therapist at Mission Hospital in Asheville in inpatient behavioral health.