Winning has never been an expectation for Cora Mabrey. 

“I didn't picture this future for myself at all in any dream. I never even thought I would have a chance at winning all of these championships,” Mabrey explained. “Like, I did not think I could do it. I just wanted to graduate with one ring, maybe? And now I already have three.” 

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But a talent and work ethic like hers is hard to deny. Put her in a stunt group with Malea Hurley, Angelina Potynsky, and Alex Devonmille, and you have something special.

Three of the four girls joined forces in Summer 2021 during NCA Camp, to compete in the Top Gun stunt competition. It’s a 45-second routine, Coed or All Girl, performed at the end of camp and packed with stunts of the highest level. Winners walk away with serious bragging rights.

Cora, Angelina, and Alex ended up leaving that NCA Camp as All Girl Top Gun champions, and something bigger than a title to be proud of. They decided to keep working together; this time, with a different goal in mind.

Malea joined the group a few months later. Not long after, the group entered and qualified for the 2022-23 UCA College National Championship Partner Stunt Competition.

“We kind of put together a routine based on skills we already knew we could execute. We just have a big variety of skills that we know we can do 100 percent of the time,” said Potynsky.

The group placed third in 2023, hitting a zero deduction routine. They had another shot in 2024, qualifying for the competition in first place after working together for over a year.

This time, it wasn’t even close. The group won by 3.3 points.

2024 UCA College Nationals - NC State Group Stunt

“We did the routine so many times,” Mabrey remembered. “Like, so many times. I feel like we really just trusted each other to do the same thing every time and trust ourselves to continue that consistency and make sure that we trusted our preparation.”

Now, the group is trusting their preparation for a second time this year, as they look to take the crown in the 2024 NCA College National Championship Partner Stunt Competition.

Getting ready for the NCA competition looks a little different compared to UCA. UCA Partner Stunt routines are one minute long, whereas NCA routines are 45 seconds long. The brands differ in style and score sheets, meaning a new routine is in the making for the core four. But the challenge hasn’t turned them away.

“Some people view it as a chore, having to come in extra and do extra reps. But we just genuinely love it,” explains Devonmille. We love being creative and trying to figure out like, ‘Okay, what's the next skill that nobody's done that we can do?’ Or, ‘how can we make this stunt that we saw, like, even crazier?’”

“We post things on social media and see people comment, ‘We should try this.’ They're looking at our group to try these new skills,” said Potynsky.

When asked what stunt they were most excited to compete in, the girls looked at each other with excitement.

“We have a skill that we're going to compete that nobody in cheerleading has ever done before. And we did make sure it's legal! We did make sure,” Devonmille laughed. “But we're really excited to kind of debut that skill for the cheerleading world.”

It won’t be the first skill this group has invented. Back in January, they created the no-handed diamidov to extended hand in hand. Just a month later, they added a back handspring up to the beginning of the skill.

And while the girls know there is a real possibility they could make history and walk away as NCA Partner Stunt Champions, entering this competition wasn’t for the love of the ring.

“We just love cheerleading so much that we just always push for the next skill. But if you saw us like a year ago today, you would not believe how far we've come,” said Hurley.

“Cora and I both came from really small gyms and Angelina started at a really small gym. And I mean, personally, we never won that much,” explained Devonmille. “So coming to a program like NC State where the expectation is always to win, it was a really different feeling. And then finally being able to accomplish that is such a dream.”

Mabrey is the only senior in the group.

“It's just crazy to see that I could get more [rings]. It's just surreal is really the word,” Mabrey reflected. “And just wild to see how far we've come as a stunt group.”

Will Cora, Angelina, Alex, and Malea keep the winning streak going and take home the gold at the 2024 NCA College National Championship Partner Stunt Competition? Tune into Varsity TV on April 13 to find out!