Ramsey Greenwell thought his dream had ended before it even started.
After not making the ETSU cheer team in spring 2024—his first shot at cheering in college—he was devastated, unsure of what came next.
“I had the biggest freak out of my life because of that,” Greenwell said. “I got really depressed. It felt like I was back at square one, and again, I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life at that point.”
But just days later, an Instagram DM from a stranger changed everything.
It was from Tori Mingo, head cheer and dance coach at Milligan University. She had been one of the judges at the ETSU tryouts—and she hadn’t forgotten him.
“She said, ‘I was at your tryout at ETSU last weekend and was very impressed with your dedication,’” Greenwell said. “She explained she was reaching out to offer me an opportunity to cheer at Milligan.”
Now, Greenwell is Milligan’s first male cheerleader in more than a decade—since the 2011–2012 squad, when the institution was still Milligan College. At a private Christian liberal arts school, male cheerleaders can still be seen as unconventional. But Greenwell is embracing the role—and the challenge.
Greenwell was born in Johnson City and grew up in nearby Hampton. He attended Hampton Elementary from kindergarten through eighth grade and started high school at Hampton before transferring to Elizabethton High School for his junior and senior years.
Growing up, Greenwell was always active in sports. He played football for 11 years and basketball for seven for Hampton. At Elizabethton, he also played soccer.
But behind all of that, cheerleading was always in the back of his mind.
“I always wanted to cheer,” he said. “But I didn’t in high school due to the stereotypes around it and being in a rural community. I chose not to, even though I wanted to.”
That didn’t stop him from being involved in small ways. Around the age of 12, he started tumbling on his own, learning how to flip for fun. In high school, many of his close friends were female cheerleaders, and he often helped them with new cheers and stunt ideas.
Still, he didn’t think cheer was something he’d ever get to do himself—especially not in college.
After graduating high school in spring 2021, Greenwell didn’t enroll in college. He spent three years working, unsure of what direction he wanted to take in life. But after three years away from school, something changed.
“I realized I wasn’t too old to go back to college,” he said. “And I thought maybe if I went, I could cheer. That was a major push point for me.”
He also began thinking more seriously about his faith and long-term direction in life.
“I just started focusing more on my faith and where I wanted my life to end up,” Greenwell said. “The path I was on was a very dark one, and I really wanted to change that. The only thing I found true joy in at that time was cheerleading. So my main goal was: where can I get on a cheer team?”
That question led him to ETSU. He started attending ETSU cheer clinics and prepared for tryouts in spring 2024. But when he didn’t make the team, it felt like a major setback.
Still, he kept going.
“Even during that time when I was very depressed, I still kept tumbling and trying to get better,” he said. “Because I knew I still wanted to cheer somewhere, somehow. I didn’t know where or what I was going to do, but I knew I was going to try.”
Then came Mingo’s message.
“I thought Milligan was too prestigious for me to get accepted into,” Greenwell said. “And I was hesitant solely due to the high tuition cost.” But Mingo’s outreach gave him something new: a chance.
He tried out privately at Milligan on May 16, 2024.
“They came to me and told me how impressed they were with the progress I had made between the ETSU and Milligan tryout,” Greenwell said.
He had a spot on the team.
Greenwell’s first experience with the squad came during summer camp.
“At first it was very intimidating,” he said. “Especially being the only guy on the team—it kinda made me feel like I stood out, and I was very nervous with how I would be perceived by others.”
Now, a year later, he feels a dramatic shift.
“Cheer gave me a lot of confidence, and it’s made me more outgoing, more sociable with others,” he said.
Being the only male on the team brings some unique responsibilities.
“I am in a lot of the routine stunts,” he said. “There are a lot of expectations on me when it comes to strength and stunting.”
One of the biggest challenges has been learning how to operate in a collegiate cheer environment.
“Learning proper college cheer etiquette” was something he had to pick up quickly.
But the support he’s found at Milligan has helped more than he expected—especially when it comes to his mental health and faith.
“I had a severe issue with anxiety and depression,” Greenwell said. “But being with teammates and coaches that share the same values and faith as me is very uplifting, even with things that don’t involve cheerleading.”
“It’s been so nice to have that support group,” he added. “It has helped me to progress in my faith. I’ve been able to come out of a shell that I felt like I was trapped in for a long time.”
For any other young men considering cheer—especially at a school like Milligan—Greenwell offers clear advice.
“Milligan is a very accepting and loving community,” he said. “If you have any doubts about how you might be perceived, throw those out the window. I was welcomed with very open arms.”
And for those who’ve hesitated like he once did, his journey is proof that it’s never too late to try.
Cover Picture: Ramsey Greenwell cheering (provided by Ramsey)
