Lets goLara Benninger!

The West Virginia University cheerleader has been selected to represent the Big East Conference in this years Athlon Sports Sideline Spirit Contest. Athlon Sports editors chose one person to represent each of the major college conferences.

Benninger, a senior exercise physiology major from Clarksburg, is competing in the second round of the online poll. The profiles and photos of each participant are displayed on the Athlon Sports Web site ( http://www.athlonsports.com/spirit/round.php ?).

The cheerleader with the most votes at the end of each round will go on to the finals and have a shot at winning $2,000 for her respective cheerleading program, prizes from Samsung and a photo shoot for the Athlon Sportss 2006 Football Annual.

To cast a vote for Benninger (one vote allowed per day), Mountaineer fans can log onto http://www.athlonsports.com/spirit/round.php?round=2& ;id=6. Voting is under way. Fans have through Sunday, Oct. 16, to vote for Benninger in the online poll.

Last year, WVU s Andrea Bianchi received more than 75,000 votes in the championship round to take the title. The WVU cheerleading team was awarded $1,000, and Bianchi was featured in this seasons national edition of the 2005 Athlon Sports College Football Annual.