Arnolds Park, IA (Northwestiowanow.com) — Give me an O! After two days of public voting, the Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce has announced NINE cheerleaders for the 2026 University of Iowa Winter Games. There are typically eight, but with over a thousand ballots cast in person and online there was a tie.

Husband and wife Trevor and Krista Smith – he works for the Iowa Lakes Corridor and she is the Spirit Lake Chamber director; Josh Carr from Camp Foster YMCA and Andy Wolff form the Bedell Family YMCA; Spirit Lake banker Nicole Evans; Lakes Area Realtor and Business Owner Michael Jenson; Spirit Lake farmer Emily Boetcher – who is well plugged into the Dickinson County Ag community; and Krista Stafford who staffs the local Board of Realtors and is a frequent volunteer in the Spirit Lake schools.

The 46th annual University of Okoboji Winter Games is January 22nd through the 25th. The cheerleaders will give the first public performance of their cheer at the upcoming banquet open to all past cheerleaders.