Former Grand National Champion Baton Twirlers – United States Twirling Association
According to the United States Twirling Association the following individuals were Grand National Champions in the sport of baton twirling.
Photo Epigraph
1978 USTA Grand National Champion Baton Twirlers, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (From L to R)
Pam Harris (Girl’s Solo – Diamond Cup)
Tamiko Okoshi (Adult Strut)
Marci Papadopoulos (Dance Twirl, 2-Baton, 3-Baton)
Glenn Bittenbender (Boys’ Solo)
John Chamberlain (Adult Two Baton)
Brian Champagne (Men’s Solo)
Carrie Bogen (Strut – Silver Boot)
Not Pictured: Kim Pring, Adult Women’s Solo
1958-1979
Brian Champagne was the 1978 Grand National Champion – Men’s Solo. He was a feature twirler for the University of Houston. Champagne remains a tremendous advocate for baton twirling.
1958 (Holland, Michigan)
Gyl Johnson Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Karen Kaiser Strut (Silver Boot)
1959 (Troy, Ohio)
Mary Katheryn Strone Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Chet Jones Boys’ Solo
Glenna Kaiser Strut (Silver Boot)
1960 (Boar, Indiana)
Bonnie Sue Welsh Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Kathy Netzley Strut (Silver Boot)
1961 (Galveston, Texas)
Gal Fuchs Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Arlyne Brown Strut (Silver Boot)
1962 (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Claudia Paterson Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Kathy Netzley Strut (Silver Boot)
Kathy Heams 2-Baton
1963 (Jackson, Mississippi)
Mary Jo Hull Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Sharon Lasater Strut (Silver Boot)
Starr Mirando 2-Baton
1964 (Philadelphia, PA)
Karen Sue Rodberg Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Kathy Netzley Strut (Silver Boot)
Debbie Palmer 2-Baton
1965 (Miami, Florida)
Bonnie Sue Welsh Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Peggie Sue Crawford Strut (Silver Boot)
Georgia Burns 2-Baton
Michael Shriller Boys’ Solo
1966 (Grand Rapids, Michigan)
Renee Gubemot Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Cathy Dutcher Strut (Silver Boot)
Debbie Palmer 2-Baton
Michael Tagg Boys’ Solo
1967 (Washington D.C.)
Sandra Carl Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Karen Sue Rodberg Strut (Silver Boot)
Sandra Carl 2-Baton
Michael Shrider Boys’ Solo
1968 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Karen Pearson Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Lucionne Gesimorldo Strut (Silver Boot)
Debbie Warstler 2-Baton
Dale White Boys’ Solo
1969 (Houston, Texas)
Patty Chenoweth Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Natalie Mayoch Strut (Silver Boot)
Jennifer Dake 2-Baton
Michael Tagg Boys’ Solo
1970 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Melane Williams Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Kathy Tompkins Strut (Silver Boot)
Dale White 2-Baton
Steve Jorgensen Boys’ Solo
1971 (Kansas City, Missouri)
Tammy Neal Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Cecilia Cruz Strut (Silver Boot)
Tammy Neal 2-Baton
Michael Cruz Boys’ Solo
1972 (Buffalo, New York)
Linda Wilson Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Denise Hokanson Strut (Silver Boot)
Michael Cruz 2-Baton
Steve Jorgensen Boys’ Solo
1973 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Cathy Fujimi Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Beth Stovicek Strut (Silver Boot)
Melanie Williams 2-Baton
David Bell Boys’ Solo
1974 (San Francisco, California)
Debbie Rolph Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Rickee Farrel Strut (Silver Boot)
Michael Cruz 2-Baton
Michael Cruz Boys’ Solo
Joe Poltrone Adult Men’s Solo
Candy Frank Adult Women’s Solo
Shannon Barker Adult Strut
Louie Nelson Adult 2-Baton
1975 (Columbus, Ohio)
Doreen Pierce Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Jennie Deem Strut (Silver Boot)
Debbie Rolph 2-Baton
Gino Cicerella Boys’ Solo
Artie Stone Adult Men’s Solo
LuAnn Evans Adult Women’s Solo
Karen Kaiser Sytsma Adult Strut
Artie Stone Adult 2-Baton
1976 (Miami, Florida)
Holly Mayer Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Lauren Deery Strut (Silver Boot)
Robin Woodruff 2-Baton
Glenn Bittenbender Boys’ Solo
Lauren Deery Dance Twirl
Ginnette Groome 3-Baton
Brooks Going Adult Men’s Solo
Lynn Hare Adult Women’s Solo
Mary Deans Adult Strut
Karen Woycenko Adult 2-Baton
1977 (Denver, Colorado)
Marci Papadopoulos Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Marci Papadopoulos Strut (Silver Boot)
Valerie Ludwick 2-Baton
Johnny Vargas Boys’ Solo
Anita Villareal Dance Twirl
Debbie Rolph 3-Baton
Michael Tagg Adult Men’s Solo
Pamela Serafino Adult Women’s Solo
Pamela Serafino Adult Strut
John Chamberlain Adult 2-Baton
1978 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Pam Harris Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Carrie Bogen Strut (Silver Boot)
Marci Papadopoulos 2-Baton
Glenn Bittenbender Boys’ Solo
Marci Papadopoulos Dance Twirl
Marci Papadopoulos 3-Baton
Brian Champagne Adult Men’s Solo
Kim Pring Adult Women’s Solo
Tomiko Ohkoshi Adult Strut
John Chamberlain Adult 2-Baton
1979 (Norfolk, Virginia)
Marci Papadopoulos Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Marci Papadopoulos Strut (Silver Boot)
Barbie Hodges 2-Baton
Keith Kline Boys’ Solo
Glenn Bittenbender Dance Twirl
Valerie Ludwick 3-Baton
Gino Cicerella Adult Men’s Solo
Michelle Glittenberg Adult Women’s Solo
Michelle Glittenberg Adult Strut
Ginnette Groome Adult 2-Baton
Ginnette Groome Adult 3-Baton
John Chamberlain Adult Dance Twirl
1980-1989
Winner of multiple national titles, Marci Papadopoulos performs in Brisbane, 1988. Papadopoulos twirled for the University of Southern California. Her mother was also a U.S. championship twirler. A boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics prevented Papadopoulos from a scheduled demonstration.
1980 (Seattle, Washington)
Nancy Gilmore Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Corey Kinyon Strut (Silver Boot)
Marci Papadopoulos 2-Baton
Donald Garcia Boys’ Solo
Marci Papadopoulos Dance Twirl
Barbie Hodges 3-Baton
John Chamberlain Adult Men’s Solo
Kitten Muckleroy Adult Women’s Solo
Marsha Whitley Adult Strut
Ginnette Groome Adult 2-Baton
Ginnette Groome Adult 3-Baton
Marsha Whitley Adult Dance Twirl
1981 (Indianapolis, IN)
Annetta Lucero Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Robin Woodruff Strut (Silver Boot)
Cindy Gray 2-Baton
Glenn Bittenbender Boys’ Solo
Glenn Bittenbender Dance Twirl
Marci Papadopoulos 3-Baton
Tony Denbo Adult Men’s Solo
Lauren Greene Adult Women’s Solo
Tammy Jo Worthington Adult Strut
Ginnette Groome Adult 2-Baton
Ginnette Groome Adult 3-Baton
Lynn Dell Schoedel Adult Dance Twirl
1982 (San Antonio, Texas)
Annetta Lucero Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Laurie Broderick Strut (Silver Boot)
Glenn Bittenbender 2-Baton
Mark Nash Boys’ Solo
Laurie Broderick Dance Twirl
Glenn Bittenbender 3-Baton
1983 (Denver, Colorado)
Nancy Michell Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Jayna Sanchez Strut (Silver Boot)
Stephanie Phillips 2-Baton
Kirk Vandebrooke Boys’ Solo
Bonnie Palacious Dance Twirl
Corrie Jordan 3-Baton
1984 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Monique Frey Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Julie Rutan Strut (Silver Boot)
Mark Nash 2-Baton
Takanori Shimumora Boys’ Solo
Merrilee Meredith Dance Twirl
Corrie Jordan 3-Baton
1985 (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Merrilee Meredith Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Bonnie Palacious Strut (Silver Boot)
Merrilee Meredith 2-Baton
Kirk Vandebrooke Boys’ Solo
Debbie Blofeld Dance Twirl
Mark Nash 3-Baton
1986 (Baltimore, Maryland)
Annetta Lucero Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Janae Dorn Strut (Silver Boot)
Mark Nash 2-Baton
Mark Nash Boys’ Solo
Mark Nash Dance Twirl
Jill Westover 3-Baton
1987 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
Annetta Lucero Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Janae Dorn Strut (Silver Boot)
Jennifer Parker 2-Baton
Mark Nash Boys’ Solo
Janae Dorn Dance Twirl
Corrie Jordan 3-Baton
1988 (Reno, Nevada)
Annetta Lucero Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Janae Dorn Strut (Silver Boot)
Mark Nash 2-Baton
Mark Nash Boys’ Solo
Janae Dorn Dance Twirl
Mark Nash 3-Baton
1989 (Louisville, Kentucky)
Angie Gifford Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Jennifer Dziak Strut (Silver Boot)
Mark Nash 2-Baton
Mark Nash Boys’ Solo
Mark Nash Dance Twirl
Jill Westover 3-Baton
1990-1999
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
1990 (San Antonio, Texas)
Tina Escamia Girls’ Solo (Diamond Cup)
Niran Al-agba Strut (Silver Boot)
Angie Gifford 2-Baton
Mark Nash Boys’ Solo
Mark Nash Dance Twirl
Angie Gifford 3-Baton
Recorded Histories
Oral history is the collection and study of historical information using sound recordings of interviews with people having personal knowledge of past events. If you would like to share your personal oral history of baton twirling, please let us know. We are available to conduct interviews every Friday. Interviews will be available on this website. Once a substantial number of interviews have been conducted, they will be presented in podcast format. Nothing will be published without the interviewee’s written consent. Thank you for helping preserve the history of baton twirling.