Jun. 8—MITCHELL — Dakota Wesleyan University has hired Cassey Ver Hey as the new head coach of its cheer and dance program, DWU athletics announced on Monday. Ver Hey will assume the role ahead of the 2026-27 academic year.
Ver Hey brings more than a decade of coaching experience to the Tigers after leading both the Mitchell High School competitive dance and sideline cheer programs since 2013. During her tenure, she guided athletes in regional dance competitions while helping shape the Kernels’ gameday atmosphere and community engagement efforts.
In addition to her work at Mitchell High School, Ver Hey previously served as an assistant competitive dance coach at Sioux Falls Washington High School and spent 10 years teaching dance in Guymon, Oklahoma, from 1996 through 2006.
DWU Athletic Director Ross Cimpl said in a statement that Ver Hey will be an important impact on the DWU program.
“We are very fortunate to be able to add Cassey to our Athletic Department, given her local ties and extensive standout background in cheer and dance,” Cimpl said in a press release on Monday. “Her incredibly successful career is a testament to her abilities, and we are extremely fortunate to be a part of her professional journey in her new role with the Tigers.”
Ver Hey has also been an educator in the Mitchell School District since 2013. After teaching at L.B. Williams Elementary for five years, she transitioned to Mitchell Middle School, where she currently teaches seventh-grade math. She will continue in that role while leading the Tigers’ cheer and dance program.
