West Islip Cheerleader At 'The Big Dance'

When Iona tips off against Ohio St. Friday night in the NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament, there will be one West Islip resident cheering loudly for the underdog Gaels.

Lauren Brady, a 2009 West Islip High School graduate, will be at the game in Dayton, Ohio, as a member of Iona’s cheerleading squad. Tipoff is 7:15 p.m. and the game will aired locally on WCBS-TV.

This is the second consecutive year Iona has made it to "the big dance” and Brady was also in Dayton in 2012 when the Gaels lost to Brigham Young 78-72 in the “first four” portion of the tournament. She has been a member of Iona’s varsity cheer team since her freshman year.

Brady began cheerleading at the age of five. She also cheered at Udall Road Middle School and at the high school, where she was nominated by her coaches for the “Who’s Who In Cheerleading.”