Bio

Alex Newenham has been named as the new Director of Spirit Squads and Competitive Cheer Head Coach at St. Ambrose University. She started her duties as of June 1, 2024.

Newenham has been with the spirit squad program for five years both serving as a graduate assistant coach and full time assistant coach. She has previously been an graduate assistant from 2019-2022 before transitioning into the roles of full time assistant and spirit coordinator for the SAU Cheer Team from 2022-2024. During that time, she coached the teams under the supervision of Danelle Langeneckert to two back to back national championships in 2023 and 2024.

"I am honored and excited to have this new opportunity. I was able to learn first hand from the best, Danelle Langeneckert, and I want to continue building this program and continue the success within the Cheer and Dance programs at SAU," said Newenham. "The bar has been set high and I hope to continue to further the legacy at St. Ambrose University." 

Newenham has years of experience in cheerleading and a background in tumbling. She has been a tumbling instructor in college and high school in the Quad Cities and trained in competitive tumbling since the age of three. She has taught individual skill building at Legacy Athletics. At Alleman High School, Newenham cheered all four years and was a competitive cheerleader at St. Ambrose from 2015-2019, where she won many in season competitions as well as qualifying for NAIA nationals every year. 

"Alex Newenham is a shining young star in the cheer coaching world," said Athletic Director Mike Holmes. "She is everything we want in a leader to help the cheer program stay on its course. Alex was a participant, has been an assistant in the program, and appears to have the unwavering confidence of the student-athletes."

Newenham plans to encourage her team in order to get the best of each student-athlete. She wants to be a strong leader for the program and someone for her athletes to look up to. She wants to be an advocate to allow them to build life skills and grow as student athletes. She hopes to help student athletes both on the floor and in the classroom. Beyond that, Newenham hopes to help athletes accomplish personal goals that will reach them beyond their time at St. Ambrose. 

In 2019, she earned a degree from SAU in Kinesiology. After graduation, she earned her Master's in Organizational Leadership.