After years of being on the sidelines supporting athletes, Ashlynn Wells got her chance to be center stage last week. Wells joined the ranks of WCHS athletes to sign a scholarship this year, committing to Trevecca to continue her cheer career.

From the moment Wells started gymnastics at age 6 and joined the Warren All-Stars led by Tressie Hitchcock, she knew she loved to cheer. She lived her passion for the last seven years, first at WCMS and then at WCHS as she became a star on a championship-level program.

While her love for cheering never waned, when it came time to look at colleges, Wells thought it may all be over. A fortunate break led her to the next level though.

Amanda Hargis, a cheer coach at WCHS, went to Trevecca and was contacted by the school about the prospect of Ashlynn, a UCA All-American and team captain at WCHS during the 2022 football season, coming to Nashville. It was a dream come true for Wells, especially since the program is recruitment only, had a scholarship available for the standout athlete and was a perfect spiritual fit.

“It’s a private Christian school and I take my faith very seriously. It’s a big part of me. And when they also offered me to cheer, I knew I had to take it and go,” said Wells.

Wells will be on two squads at Trevecca, the STUNT squad and the competition cheerleading team. She’s already chomping at the bit to get to Nashville and get started with camps and practices this summer. 

Her tenacity to get to Trevecca is similar to how she attacked becoming a successful cheerleader in Warren County. Wells, who specialized in stunts, will be bringing a wealth of experience and passion to the Trevecca teams.

“I don’t give up. I like to keep going and see it through,” said Wells when asked about her greatest strength as a cheerleader. “When I started and got all of my skills, I knew I wanted to do this the rest of my life.”

She also is happy to be blazing a trail for future Warren County cheerleaders who may think their journey has to end after high school.

“Scholarships are very rare, but I don’t want anybody to give up and think they can’t get one. It is rare, but if you keep trying and find your way, you can,” said Wells. 

Wells noted that her favorite memories with Warren County cheerleading were making the team as a freshman and going on to finish fifth in the nation (the WCHS football cheerleaders were also TSSAA state champions in 2019). She also was on the team when the WCHS cheerleaders reached nationals and finished fifth again in 2022.

Wells plans on majoring business with a minor in psychology in hopes of forging a career helping children with their mental health in the future.