DETROIT (7/7/2015) -- Danielle Leone – a noted cheerleading professional in the Metro Detroit area – was named the new head cheerleading coach at the University of Detroit Mercy.
 
"We have a lot of talented, dedicated athletes currently a part of the program," said Leone. "It's going to be such a great experience to watch this program grow in the coming years."
 
Leone has spent the last five years coaching all levels of high school cheerleading at Fraser and Henry Ford II high schools.
 
At Fraser, she was the varsity sideline and competitive cheer coach since 2012 and that came after serving as the freshmen sideline and competitive cheer coach in 2011-12.
 
She worked with both males and females and taught basic gymnastics skills, including back walkovers, back handsprings and back tucks. She helped coordinate homecoming routines and game material and help produce rounds for in MHSAA competitive formats. She was the Macomb Area Conference Coach of the Year in the Blue Division in 2014 after leading the team to a runner-up effort at the conference championships. Her squad was also an All-Academic Team in 2013 and 2014.
 
In her first year working with the freshmen, she helped the team capture first at the L'anse Creuse North Invitational, take second place at the Macomb Area Conference novice competition and third at the All-Macomb Championship.
 
In her first year as a coach at Henry Ford II from 2010-11, she was the freshmen sideline and competitive cheer coach and guided that team to first-place finishes at the Macomb Area Conference novice competition and the L'anse Creuse North Invitational and L'anse Creuse Invitational.
 
"I'm excited to start with a fresh, new team at UDM. I'm looking forward to having the program participate in stunt and take the program to the next level," added Leone.
 
A 2010 graduate of Central Michigan, she was a four-year competitor for the Chippewas' All-Girl UCA National Team. During her four years, she traveled with various sports teams as a "Campus Ambassador" for CMU Athletics, led cheers for the crowd at football, basketball, volleyball and soccer games and competed at the 2007 UCA College Cheerleading National Championship. She was also a co-founder of the Central Michigan University Cheerleading Alumni Association, created in June 2014.
 
Leone – who graduated with a degree in public relations and minors in advertising and public affairs – is currently a Marketing, Public Relations and Event Coordinator for the Kresge Eye Institute in Detroit, a position she has held since May of 2010.