The University’s female a cappella group, Divisi, replaced nine of its 14 members this year, but the change in lineup seemed to make little difference at the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella on Saturday night at the Hult Center in Eugene.
Divisi took first in the ICCA West division quarterfinal competition with a score of 387 points, besting both Oregon State University’s all-male Outspoken and On The Rocks, Divisi’s all-male counterpart at the University of Oregon.
“It was really exciting,” said Rachelle Wofford, one of Divisi’s new members who joined the group last fall. “When they announced it, I jumped up and down screaming. I was in tears.”
Divisi has made a strong name for itself in recent years with its accomplishments, including finishing second nationally in the same competition in 2005.
“It really is a lot to live up to,” Wofford said. “It really was hard coming into that and trying to fill those shoes, but at the same time it was a huge honor.”
University sophomore Andrea Welsh, also a new member, said replacing nearly two thirds of Divisi’s old singers added even more pressure to many of the members’ first competition.
“It was a really big turnover,” Welsh said. “A lot of people were nervous about it, but I think we proved that we can step up to the plate.”
Outspoken narrowly edged On The Rocks for second place with 339 points to OTR’s 337.
“Honestly, I was pretty disappointed because we worked really hard and wanted to go down to California (for the semifinals),” said Andy Mosman, who has sang with the group since 2005. He added that he and the rest of the ensemble were happy to see another UO group win the competition despite their own high expectations.
Saturday’s event was the first competition any current member of On The Rocks had sang in, Mosman said.
“I was definitely very tense,” he said. “The whole competition itself was a very stressful thing.”
A total of seven western collegiate groups sang for the chance to compete in the March 10 semifinal event in San Rafael, Calif.
Mosman said several of the groups already knew each other going into the competition. As for competing against their fellow University of Oregon group, On The Rocks, Welsh said, it’s more supportive than competitive.
“It’s like a brother-sister relationship,” she said. “There is no animosity whatsoever. We wanted Oregon to win.”
Divisi will now prepare for the semifinal competition, at which it will perform the same three-song set from Saturday’s event.
“Really now it’s not about learning them,” Wofford said. “It’s about perfecting them.”
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