LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The Florida State Golden Girls are World Champions. The renowned group of Florida State student-athletes won the International Cheer Union World Championship in a competition at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World. For the first time in program history, the Golden Girls were selected to represent the USA, as the US National Jazz team, where they took home Gold at the ICU Worlds Championship. The Golden Girls first competed their jazz routine in January 2023 at the UDA Collegiate National Championship, where they placed third in an incredibly strong D1A jazz division. Based on their finish at the UDA Collegiate National Championships, the Golden Girls were selected to represent the USA in the jazz division at the ICU Championship. Florida State competed against 11 countries in the Performance Cheer - Jazz division. Florida State enjoyed a strong performance in the semifinals, and entered the finals in second place behind Team Japan. Florida State won the championship as it moved past Team Japan in the finals of the competition to claim the Gold Medal. The Golden Girls finished ahead of second-placed Team Japan and third-place Team Australia. “The Golden Girls and myself have had the dream of being the US National Team selection since 2017,” said Head Coach Chasity Tyus. “We were extremely honored to take on the incredible task, which is a once in a lifetime opportunity. After many years of program improvement, we felt ready, and capable of not only representing our University and Country, but to bring home gold against some of the best dancers in World. “Balancing academics, nationals prep, Gameday performances at the FSU basketball games, community service, and University responsibilities is no easy feat. The Golden Girls were up to the challenge and handled the pressure with ease. I'm super proud of my athletes for being such well-rounded ambassadors for Florida State University. There is not another group of athletes more deserving than this group of young women.” Golden Girls were led by three strong captains during the 2022-23 season - Abigail Kim, Nyah Gonzalez and Payton Adkins. The Golden Girls are coached by Tyus, who is in her sixth season and assistant coach, Jamie Corcoran, who is in her fourth season. The International Cheer Union (ICU) was established in 2004 and is the recognized world governing body of Cheer (Cheerleading & Performance Cheer). ICU consists of 117 National Cheer Federations, counting 10 million athletes on every continent worldwide. The ICU hosts World Championships, global continental and regional championships. It is the unified voice for all those who are dedicated to the positive advancement of cheerleading throughout the world.