Cheer's Michelle McCarty honored with the NHIAA Walter A. Smith Award

SNHU's Head Cheerleading Coach Michelle McCarty was recently honored with one of the top awards handed out by the NHIAA (New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association).  McCarty, who has been with SNHU since May 2011, has also served as Head Cheerleading Coach at Pinkerton Academy in Derry since 2001.  McCarty was one of this year's recipients of the prestigious Walter A. Smith Award at a reception held at Manchester Country Club.

The award, instituted in 1996, recognizes individuals who have overcome special circumstances and contributed significantly and positively to interscholastic athletics.  Her first Pinkerton Championship came in 2003, and there have been 33 Division I State Championships to date.  Her athletes have won 13 New England Championships, been Grand New England Champs 13 times, and won many Division I Sportsmanship awards.

The award is named in honor of Walter A. Smith, Executive Director of the NHIAA from 1958-1984.

At SNHU, McCarty has helped develop a program that has now reached new heights with back-to-back third-place finishes at the National Championships in Daytona in the All-Girl Division II category.  The 2023-24 squad is scheduled to compete again in Dayton in April.

McCarty is a former gymnast and cheer athlete at Nashua High School and a Keene State College graduate with a degree in Active, Directing, and Theatre.