Dakota Wesleyan University Athletics and Tiger Cheer & Dance are excited to welcome Cassey Ver Hey as the program’s new head coach ahead of the 2026-27 season.

Cassey Ver Hey most recently served as both the head coach of Mitchell High School Competitive Dance and Sideline Cheer since August of 2013, preparing her athletes for dance competitions across the region, along with being a major factor in MHS’s gameday atmosphere, community engagement efforts, and overall team success through the contributions from her cheer squad. On top of her experience and success with the Kernels, Ver Hey also briefly served as an assistant competitive dance coach at Sioux Falls Washington High School, and was a dance teacher at Center Stage in Guymon, Oklahoma, from 1996 through 2006. Director of Athletics Ross Cimpl states his excitement for the move and the impact Ver Hey will have on the program:

“We are very fortunate to be able to add Cassey to our Athletic Department, given her local ties and extensive standout background in cheer and dance. Her incredibly successful career is a testament to her abilities, and we are extremely fortunate to be a part of her professional journey in her new role with the Tigers.”

Coach Ver Hey has worked in the Mitchell School District since 2013, teaching at L.B. Williams Elementary for five years before transitioning to Mitchell Middle School, where she currently serves as a seventh-grade math teacher and will continue to do so while now leading the Dakota Wesleyan Cheer & Dance program.

Updates and information on DWU Cheer & Dance are available here.