Mercedes Pace ’19 returned to Albion College in 2024 to coach the cheerleading team—a program she belonged to as a student. From theater major to cheerleader, she shares her favorite memories, experiences as a coach, and dreams for the future of Albion cheer.

Where on campus did you make the most memories as a student?

As a theatre major, I spent countless hours in Herrick Theatre—rehearsing, building sets, designing costumes, and soaking up everything I could from amazing professors like Zach Fischer, Joel Klain, and Stephanie Henderson. My friends and I often hang out in the green room for game nights, movie nights, and even painting and decorating the space. There are lots of happy memories there.

What’s one change on campus that made you feel old?

My first day back as cheer coach, I went to print some papers in the library and ended up completely lost. There used to be computers right when you walked in, and when they weren’t there I just kind of froze. I then headed to Furgeson to the computer lab on the ground floor which is now the eSports lab! That definitely made me feel a little bit old.

How did growing up in Albion influence your decision to attend and coach here?

I was lucky to be in the first class of the Build Albion Fellows, which definitely shaped my college choice. At first, I didn’t want to go to college in my hometown, but Albion’s campus and atmosphere won me over.

In your opinion, how does cheerleading impact the college spirit?

Cheerleading is a very powerful tool that connects the crowd and the field. Cheerleaders bridge that gap and heighten the school spirit through our cheers.

Do you miss being on the sidelines, or do you prefer coaching?

I was a cheerleader from 6th grade through college; it’s part of who I am. However, coaching has its own rewards. I’ve got an amazing group of girls who make me laugh, work hard, and keep me inspired. Teaching and watching them grow is something special.

What’s something you do as a coach that might surprise people?

Being a cheerleader means a lot of things, but mostly it means leading the school and crowd in spirit and support. One of my personal favorite ways to do that is bridging the gap between everyone involved with the game; the band, the crowd, and the football team. We had a social event with the marching band where we had snacks and games, we had a “bring a friend to practice day” where we taught some cheers and cheer games. The cheer team also decorated the locker room for the men’s football team for homecoming. I enjoy doing things like this with the team because it makes the cheerleaders more personable and approachable.

If you could plan a dream performance for your cheer team, what would it look like?

Honestly? This is any performance where everyone’s having a blast—the cheer team, the crowd, all in sync and feeding off each other’s energy. And, of course, cheering our team to victory.

Story written by Makeba Bantu ’25