Beam signs with WKU

PERKINSTON — Ashlyn Beam is a trailblazer for Mississippi Gulf Coast Cheerleading.

The sophomore from St. Martin signed a scholarship Wednesday to cheer at Western Kentucky University.

"It's gonna be good for our program at Gulf Coast," she said. "You don't just cheer at a junior college; you can cheer at a D-I school. Gulf Coast can help you get to a D-I." 

Beam toured the campus there and met with Hilltoppers head coach Alli Lumpkin. They already had a relationship dating back several years.

"The atmosphere was very calm and relaxing," Beam said. "They were super helpful and nice. I cheered for Alli in competition cheer in high school, so I have a background with her. I'm comfortable going there knowing she helped me."

The Gulf Coast program is making an important step with Beam's signing.

"This is awesome and I'm very proud of Ashlyn," Gulf Coast coach Brittney Holley said. "She's our first cheerleader at Gulf Coast to sign to go to a university versus trying out and making the team. I think that speaks volumes on the program here at Gulf Coast and what we're doing. I'm very proud of all of her hard work. She deserves it."

For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.