A TopCat will represent the Carolina Panthers on the sidelines at the Pro Bowl in Orlando, Fla., on Sunday, January 29. Shannon, a member of the Panthers cheerleading squad, was named "TopCat of the Year" and will make the trip to Florida.
"I think it is going to take a long time to sink in," Shannon said after being selected. "To think that my teammates would consider me to be the type of woman that could also represent our team at the Pro Bowl the way other women have, I am humbled."
During Pro Bowl week, Shannon will work with the other Pro Bowl cheerleaders rehearsing their routines for the NFL's all-star game and making appearances.
Shannon was chosen to attend the Pro Bowl after winning "TopCat of the Year" for being the most outstanding Panthers cheerleader during the 2016 season. Voted on by squad members, the "TopCat of the Year" award is presented to someone with strong dance ability, excellent leadership, dedication and community service.
"TopCat of the Year is the biggest honor to receive from your teammates," said TopCats manager/choreographer Richelle Williams. "Shannon is an outstanding dancer with a tremendous heart for helping others. We are proud to have her represent our squad at the Pro Bowl this year."
In her sixth season as a TopCat, Shannon serves as one of five line captains and was part of the Panthers' entertainment military tour that traveled to Southwest Asia in October to perform and thank troops for their service.
"I'm proud of myself in the sense that I have continued to challenge myself each season," Shannon said. "Every year I have set out to make myself a better TopCat, a better dancer, a better teammate and a better friend. I feel like all of that has just come together."
Along with her duties as a TopCat, the Asheville, N.C. native is a mother of two daughters and works full-time as a professional dancer and choreographer.
