2021 UCA & UDA College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship

5 Things Ryan Martin O'Connor Has Accomplished In Her Cheer Career

5 Things Ryan Martin O'Connor Has Accomplished In Her Cheer Career

Ryan Martin O'Connor has been named the head cheerleading coach for the 24-time UCA National Champions, The University of Kentucky Wildcats.

Jun 24, 2020 by Varsity TV
5 Things Ryan Martin O'Connor Has Accomplished In Her Cheer Career

Big news college cheer fans! Ryan Martin O'Connor has been named the new head cheerleading coach for the 24-time UCA National Champions, The University of Kentucky Wildcats.

O'Connor is excited to uphold and continue Kentucky Cheer's legacy and we can't wait to see what the Cats do next.


As we wait for the Big Blue Nation to get back to work for No. 25, it's time to get to know the coach and check out these 5 things Ryan Martin O'Connor has accomplished throughout her cheerleading career.

1. Earned The Rebels First Championship Title

Before heading home to the Bluegrass state, O’Connor was making waves in the cheerleading industry as a coach at the University of Mississippi. Over her three year stay in Oxford, she helped lead the Rebels to their first-ever UCA National Championship title.

2. Made A Difference On & Off The Mat. 

O’Connor helped raise the University of Mississippi spirit program's overall team GPA and graduation rate.

3. Brought The Blazer Spirit To The NCAA Tournament

During her time at the University of Alabama Birmingham, O'Connor helped lead her spirit program on the sidelines to a big win over Iowa State in the NCAA Tournament.

4. Multiple National Championship Finishes

Her teams earned multiple top 10 and top 5 finishes at the UCA & UDA College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship.

5. Rings, On Rings, On Rings

After winning multiple titles at Paul Laurence Dunbar, O'Connor went on to cheer at the University of Kentucky from 2008-09 and then at the University of Alabama from 2009-12, where she won another UCA National Championship title in 2011. O’Connor finished out her time as an athlete on the US National Team from 2011-2013 where she won three ICU World Championship titles.