Alumna wins top national twirling competition

Moriah Muscaro, Grand Valley alumna and former university baton twirler, has proven that she is the best of the best in the sport of twirling among college competitors in the U.S.

The third-generation baton twirler from Walled Lake earned the title of College Miss Majorette of America during the annual competition of the same name July 21-25 at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Muscaro bested 47 other competitors from universities and college across the U.S. to win the crown. 

“College Miss Majorette of America is the highest honor a college twirler can win, and I am still in shock that I have been granted this honor,” Muscaro said.

During the event, Muscaro participated in a three-part competition. The first challenge was to complete a solo routine consisting of twirling up to four batons at one time. Muscaro then took part in a strutting routine judging flexibility and timing, and finally modeling a gown, which measured her poise, confidence and interviewing skills.

Muscaro said her goal in the coming year as College Miss Majorette of America is to inspire young twirlers while traveling the U.S. giving exhibition performances, speaking about her twirling career and representing Grand Valley.

“Perseverance, dedication, hard work, confidence, and most importantly, an amazing coaching staff, are what allowed my dream to come true and it is my desire to inspire others to keep practicing and believing in order for their dreams to come true,” Muscaro said. 

Prior to being crowned College Miss Majorette of America, Muscaro won the College Miss Majorette of Michigan competition in May and the College Miss Majorette of the Great Lakes contest in June. She has won the former title four times, and the latter three times. Muscaro was also competed as part of Team USA at the World Federation National Baton Twirling Association World Baton Twirling Championships in April in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy.

The College Miss Majorette of America contest was the capstone of Muscaro's twirling career, which began at the age of five under the tutelage of her mother. She is now shifting her focus to beginning medical school at the University of Toledo College of Medicine in August. Muscaro, who graduated from Grand Valley this year with a bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences, will return to the university October 24 during Homecoming to perform and share her award.