Doty Stepping Down as Cheerleading Coach

ATHENS, W.Va. – Concord University cheerleading head coach Jessica Doty has announced she is stepping down from her position effective at the end of the academic year.

Doty has guided the cheer program at Concord over the last 10 seasons, taking over the program from Sara Blankenship prior to the start of the 2016-17 school year.

"I have had the privilege of serving as head coach of Concord Cheerleading from 2016 through 2026," Doty said. "While ranks are part of the record, what has always mattered most to me is the people in the program and the standards they uphold for one another."
 
On Doty's watch, Concord cheerleading represented the University at the UCA College Nationals in Orlando, Florida six times: 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2026. During those appearances, the program placed as high as fourth and ninth nationally in the open all-girls game day division.
 
"Cheerleading at Concord holds a unique place within athletics here, as it does most institutions," Doty said. "Our athletes support multiple teams throughout the year while also training and competing at a national level. That dual responsibility requires a strong sense of teamwork, discipline, and leadership from the athletes themselves."
 
A former cheerleader herself at CU, Doty initiated an endowed scholarship specific to the cheer program, the Lisa Blankenship Memorial Scholarship, to honor the legacy of the former head coach at Concord who was also Doty's cheer coach during her time as a student in Athens.
 
"Jessica's dedication to the cheer program has been relentless over the last decade," Concord Athletic Director Luke Duffy said. "She not only cares for her athletes from a competition standpoint, but pours into them as people."
 
Doty also established the Lil' Miss Mountain program, an initiative that focuses on giving back to young girls in the community and helping them learn the techniques of cheerleading.
 
"One of the core values I've tried to emphasize throughout my time in the program is the importance of supporting one another fully—not just performing alongside each other, but actively investing in each other's success," Doty said. "I've always believed that a team functions best when no one is left struggling alone, and when encouragement is part of the daily culture.
 
"I have always tried to encourage athletes to feel confident not only in their performance, but in their long-term relationship with health and fitness," she continued. "It has been especially rewarding to see alumni continue to stay active and connected to those habits long after graduation."