The WVU Marching Band has a longstanding tradition of attracting world-class twirlers to Morgantown, and the 2010 season will be no different.

According to Jay Drury, director of the Mountaineer Marching Band, an independent panel of judges unanimously selected four twirlers during band auditions held in April.

“They are all returning veterans,” he said. “We are pleased and proud to introduce and officially welcome our 2010 Feature Twirlers—Donovan Sarr, Kirsten Brown, Whitney Godwin and Kayla Morris!”

Donovan Sarr will be returning for his sixth season as a feature twirler with the WVU Band after five very successful seasons from 2005 through 2009.

Sarr is a graduate of Mount Gilead High School in Mt. Gilead, Ohio, and received a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from WVU in 2008. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in industrial relations through the College of Business and Economics.

He recently traveled to Belgium to compete on the United States Twirling Team and has numerous national and international awards to his credit, including being selected as a two-time Men’s National Twirling Champion, a three-time Collegiate Men’s National Twirling Champion, and a two-time Senior Men’s Two Baton World Medalist (gold in 2006 and bronze in 2009).

Kirsten Brown will be returning for her third year as a feature twirler, after very successful seasons in 2008 and 2009. She is 2008 graduate of Glen Oak High School in Canton, Ohio, and is currently a junior at WVU majoring in wildlife and fisheries.

Kirsten has been a competitive twirler for 16 years, holding many national and international titles, including being selected once again as the current Senior Miss Majorette of West Virginia, as well as qualifying for world competitions in England, France and Holland, where she earned four gold, two silver and one bronze medals. She was the 2008 Miss Majorette of Ohio, the 2007 Miss Twirling Unlimited World Majorette and International Solo and Two Baton Champion, and is also a member of the National Team New Alliance.

Whitney Godwin will be serving in her second year as a feature twirler with the WVU Band. A native of Flatwoods, W.Va., she is a 2007 graduate of Braxton County High School and is currently a junior majoring in broadcast news in WVU’s Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism.

Whitney has received many awards and titles in her twirling competition history, including being a 12 time Miss Majorette of West Virginia, the 2009 Twirling Unlimited International Solo Champion, the 2009 Advanced Miss Twirlmania, the 2009 Pavanne Elmore Memorial Cup Twirl Off Winner, a 2007 Twirling Ambassador in Trujillo, Peru, and a member of the National Team New Alliance.

Kayla Morris will also be serving in her second year as a feature twirler with the WVU Band. The Parkersburg, W.Va., native is a 2009 graduate of Parkersburg South High School, where she served four years as feature twirler. She will be a sophomore at WVU this year, majoring in exercise physiology.

Kayla has also received many awards and titles in her twirling competition history, including being selected as the 2010 Drum Majorette of America’s Miss Majorette of WV Elite, National Halftime Elite Twirling Champion, 2010 WV State and Tri-State Regional Elite Twirl-Off Champion, and a former WV State Level 8 and Level 9 All Around Gymnast.

The Feature Twirler program at WVU is coordinated and coached by Dr. Paula Jo Meyer-Stout.

-WVU-

CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4841 ext. 3108, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu

College of Creative Arts on the Web – http://www.ccarts.wvu.edu/

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