






Early History and Cheer Traditions
University of Nevada Cheerleading has been a spirited presence at Wolf Pack athletic events for many decades. By the late 20th century, our cheer program was firmly established as one of the most visible and active teams at the university, performing at home football games, men’s and women’s basketball, as well as other sports like soccer and volleyball. We not only led crowds in our fight song, cheers, and our historical “Law of the Jungle” chant, but also began participating in community outreach early on, a commitment that has grown over time. In recent years, our team has regularly led all Wolf Pack teams in community service, logging over 3,500 volunteer hours in 2024 alone. This emphasis on community involvement reflects a longstanding tradition that we do more than game-day hype; we serve as ambassadors of school spirit in the Reno community.
While detailed records of our program’s earliest years are scarce, it’s clear that by the mid-20th century cheerleaders were a fixture at Nevada games. Archival images show Nevada cheerleaders on the sidelines by the 1980s, underscoring that our roots run deep in campus history. Over the years, our primary role remained the same: support Wolf Pack athletic teams and ignite crowd enthusiasm. We upheld traditions like leading the fight song and performing crowd chants, helping cement the “Silver and Blue” pride among students and alumni.



Early 2000s: Nevada Cheerleading’s Transformative Era
Our program entered its most significant era of transformation under the leadership of Kim Anastassatos, whose vision and direction helped shape us into the structured, high-performing program we are today. Coach Kim cheered on the team from 1992–1996 as a student and then served as an assistant coach for the team (and head coach of the dance team) in the late ’90s. After a brief hiatus in which she pursued other cheerleading endeavors, Coach Kim returned to the university and eventually took the helm of the spirit program. By the mid-2000s, she became the head cheer coach and later was elevated to Associate Athletics Director for Events and Spirit, effectively overseeing all the teams under the Spirit umbrella, as well as all athletic events. Under Coach Kim’s leadership, our program was revitalized with an emphasis on professionalism, safety, and community spirit.



Modern Expansion and Notable Achievements
In the last decade, our program has expanded and evolved significantly, achieving new milestones in its structure and making its mark through service and school spirit. Today, we consist of multiple teams, reflecting the growing complexity of collegiate spirit programs. Our program now includes a coed-stunt team (the traditional game-day team with male-female stunt pairs), an all-girl cheer team, a dance/Pom team, and a mascot team – four distinct units under the spirit program umbrella. As of 2024, we rally at around 50–60 games per year, supporting football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, and more. Our season is nearly year-round, starting with football in late summer and ending with post-season basketball in spring, one of the longest seasons of any college activity. Now, with a roster of 50+ student-athletes, we can maintain a high-energy presence at multiple venues and events.
Our positive impact on campus and in the community has become one of our hallmarks. We consistently embody the role of student-athletes and community leaders. We maintain rigorous training schedules, including intensive conditioning camps each summer, to ensure we are in peak shape for the demands of college cheer. Off the field, our contributions are felt through extensive volunteer work: from youth cheer clinics (“Perform with the Pack” youth programs) to local charity events and campus initiatives. University officials have noted that we “regularly volunteer in the community” and often log the most service hours of any Wolf Pack team each year. This commitment was vividly demonstrated in 2020 when, despite the challenges of a pandemic, we recorded thousands of community service hours, helping wherever we were needed. For these efforts, we have earned accolades and the respect of the university community, proving that our value goes far beyond the sidelines.
We have also notched some unique achievements in recent years. In 2011, our mascot Wolfie Jr. won the Capital One National Mascot of the Year competition, garnering national attention. And while that honor technically went to a mascot, it was a testament to the coordination and promotional savvy of our spirit program as a whole. Within cheerleading itself, we have celebrated personal and team accomplishments such as sending members to NFL cheer or dance teams after graduation.
Throughout all these developments, our core mission has remained constant. As Coach Kim eloquently put it, the cheerleading experience at Nevada is about far more than “pompom waving,” it reflects “countless hours devoted to community engagement” and a deep “enthusiasm for fellow athletes” on the field. Today, we stand as a unified, proud, and dynamic program that honors our history while continually pushing forward. We play a pivotal role in the university’s sports culture, illuminating the stands with energy and representing the spirit of Nevada with pride. From early traditions to modern accomplishments, our history is one of resilience, growth, and unyielding school spirit – Go Pack!