Oct. 6, 2005

Columbia, Mo. -Mizzou junior Austin Graves (Columbia, Mo.) is one of 24 cheerleaders that have been selected for the Athlon Sports Sideline Spirit contest in which fans from around the world can vote for a spirit squad member to be featured in a photo shoot for the 2006 Athlon Sports College Football Preview. If selected, the Mizzou spirit program will receive $2,000 and video equipment from Samsung. Fans can click here to begin voting today through Friday, Oct. 14.

Athlon Sports is now in its 40th year of publishing its college football magazine and this marks the third year of the Sideline Spirit Competition. Created to integrate one portion of the nationally recognized magazine with its website, the contest involves four rounds with six girls from BCS conference schools represented for a period of three weeks. Cheerleaders advance to the final week of competition either by winning their round, or by getting the most votes of any cheerleader from their respective conference during the previous four rounds.

Visitors to the site are allowed one vote a day. Last year's winner, Andrea Bianchi is a member of the West Virginia spirit squad.