Dance Team Coaching Staff
Michelle Deets is a retired Spanish teacher and former coach for the varsity dance team at Highland High School in Highland, IL. Under her coaching direction at Highland, Deets boasted over 25 IDTA state titles in the Pom Dance, Jazz, Hip Hop and Lyrical categories, as well as 2 IHSA state titles. Deets was named to the Illinois Drill Team Association Hall of Fame, which recognized her contributions as a coach and her leadership qualities. Deets has been a member of IDTA since 1992, and has served as the President of IDTA since 2008. She served as the IDTA Secretary for ten years prior to that. In 2016 Deets became a part of the judging team for IDTA, and serves as a certified tabulator. Deets has served as the head coach of the SIUE Competitive Dance Team program since 2008, and oversees the SIUE Competitive Cheerleaders.
Contact Coach Deets regarding specific requirements for cheer and/or dance tryouts, questions about the cheer and/or dance program, and any SIUE cheer or dance related questions. Email: mdeets@siue.edu
Brian Morris has been dancing and teaching for 23+ years in studio dance in Illinois and is trained in all styles of dance. Brian has won many titles such as Mr. Starquest, Mr. Starpower, Mr. Legacy, and even received a perfect score twice at studio competitions! Brian danced on the Civic Memorial High School dance team his junior and senior year where his team won state titles and grand champions both years in Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop and Pom. Brian is an NDCA expert certified judge and judges for organizations like IDTA, IHSA, IHSDTA, MDTA, and other organizations across the country. Brian is also a studio competition judge for organizations like Team Dance, Starquest, Fly Dance, KAR, Precision Arts, and more. Brian truly loves coaching dancers and watching them grow. Brian works as a Senior Marketing Operations Manager for CS2 Marketing full time, and in his free time enjoys family time, boating, fishing, and being an awesome dad.
Taleigh Wise has been dancing for 18+ years in studio dance and dance team, and is trained in all styles of dance. Taleigh competed in studio dance in Jazz, Lyrical, Hip Hop, and Tap at KSDT in Moline, IL. Taleigh was on the SIUE dance team for three years, where the team won 3rd overall for Pom and 6th overall for Jazz in 2018. As a senior, Taleigh was a captain on the SIUE dance team. Taleigh has always had a strong passion and love for dance, and is committed to assisting current dancers in reaching their full potential. Taleigh works as a Mental Health Therapist at Counselors Associates, Ltd. full time, and often enjoys reading, taking dance fitness classes, spending time in nature, and snuggling with her cat.
Cheer Coaching Staff
Casey Driemeyer has been a part of the cheer world since 1998. She cheered for three years for Highland High School in Highland, IL then went on to The Broadcast Center in St. Louis, Missouri. From there, Casey used her love of music to mix cheer routine music for Highland Varsity, JV and Middle School, Breese Central High School and Lebanon High School. For seven years she continued to be an assistant coach for Highland Varsity until she accepted the coaching position for the non-competitive football cheer program at Highland in April 2010. In the fall of 2010, Casey was offered the coaching position at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where she started the competitive cheer program when SIUE made the transition to Division 1. Casey is a stylist at Tru Design in Highland, IL. When she is not coaching, Casey enjoys spending time with her husband, family and friends.
Sarah Eilers has a lifelong passion for cheer, starting as a middle school cheerleader and tumbler before an injury led her to transition from athlete to coach. She began her coaching journey as the Assistant Cheer Coach at Highland High School in Highland, IL, working with football, junior varsity, and varsity squads from 2016-2018. Off the mat, Sarah is a Field Employee & Safety Coordinator for a construction company in Saint Louis. When she’s not working or coaching, she enjoys spending time with her boyfriend and their three dogs, making memories with family and friends, kayaking, attempting to improve her golf game, and traveling to new places.
Xian Embry has a lifelong passion for cheerleading, and brings both experience and heart to her role as coach. She began cheering in middle school and competed on both game day and competitive teams through middle school, high school and college. She cheered for two years on the SIUE cheer team while earning her bachelor’s degree, graduating in 2020. After taking time off to embrace motherhood while welcoming her daughter and becoming a newlywed, she is thrilled to be stepping back onto the mat for her first season since 2020. Her love for cheer has never dimmed, and she’s ready to bring positivity, precision, and energy to every athlete. Xian lives for the cheerleading world and is excited to help build confident, talented athletes who shine!
Kelli Wieter started cheering in middle school in Highland, IL and continued all the way through high school. She was also a member of the SIUE cheer team during college, which gave her the opportunity to grow not just as an athlete, but also as a leader and teammate. In addition to cheering, Kelli has coached both gymnastics and cheerleading at gyms in the local area, as well as in Utah during the three years she lived there. She loves working with athletes and being part of their journey—whether it’s helping them nail a new skill, build confidence, or grow as individuals. In addition, Kellie is passionate about creating a positive, supportive environment for the team. Kelli received her Bachelor's in Business Administration from SIUE and later earned her Master's in Business Administration from Utah State University. When she's not coaching, you can usually find her spending time with her husband and all of their pets!