(Tuesday, October 24; Sioux Center, Iowa) Ariana Theesfeld, a senior at Spirit Lake High School (Iowa), has announced her intention to attend Dordt University and join the Defender dance program.

"I am excited that Ariana has decided to attend Dordt next fall and be a part of our dance program! She has a bubbly and fun personality along with a great background in dance, and I can't wait to see what she will all bring to our team next year!" said Dordt dance coach Mel Knobloch.

Theesfeld has performed in tap, jazz, modern, hip-hop and pom and placed third at state in pom and fifth place in hip-hop twice.

"I chose Dordt because of its: community, one one-on-one attention, God-driven, stats and just the way I heard everyone speak about Dordt.  I could tell it was from the heart," said Theesfeld.

Ariana is the daughter of Katie and Alan Theesfeld of Spirit Lake, Iowa. She plans to study accounting.

Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive Christian college rooted in the Reformed tradition. The Defender athletic program is a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC), American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) and the Mid-American Collegiate Hockey Association (MACHA).

U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review all list Dordt on their best colleges lists. Dordt is home to approximately 1,500 students.