September 9, 2026
As a world champion twirler and two-time Miss Majorette of Nebraska for baton twirling, Jayda has seen a lot of big stages.
This fall, though, she's stepping onto a stage she’s dreamt about since childhood: Memorial Stadium. And, even though she grew up nearby, taking the field with the pride of all Nebraska will also be her first time experiencing the Sea of Red for herself.
“I am so excited, I can't even put it into words,” Jayda says. “I'm anticipating the energy, but I know it's something that you can't really understand until you’re there. But I do know that I’m going to feel so proud.”
Jayda's debut as a Husker is something of a homecoming for the second-year student from Bellevue, who twirled for another Big Ten university during her first year of college.
“Pretty quickly, I realized I wanted to be closer to home. I think I always knew Nebraska was my place — it’s been my home forever and is where all my success has come from — but it just took a little extra time to realize I needed to get back here.”
A twirler since she was three, Jayda brings her impressive resume home with her as well. Alongside her Omaha-based club team that she trained with throughout her childhood, Jayda took home second place at the 2022 World Baton Twirling Championships. Three years later in 2025, they went back and won the whole thing.
“We're all based in Nebraska and have been practicing together since we were little girls, so they're really just like a family to me now,” she explains. “Being able to finally go to the world championships with them and win gold was just perfect. And, we just qualified for worlds again next year.”
Despite her world-conquering success, Jayda is just as proud of the wins she’s earned here at home as Miss Majorette of Nebraska for 2024 and 2025. In the role, Turner has twice represented Nebraska at the Miss Majorette of America baton twirling competition.
“There’s a sense of pride that comes with being able to twirl for the state, just like there is for the University of Nebraska,” she says. “Representing your home is one of the greatest feelings and a big responsibility, because I'm kind of the first peek into Nebraska for some people from all around the world. It’s a huge honor.”
As for her first time representing the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Jayda admits to being a little nervous. Thankfully, she has a little trick for putting the nerves out of mind.
“My mom always says, ‘You're not nervous, you're excited.’ So, before we run out on the field for the pregame show, I'm going tell myself that I'm not nervous — I'm excited, I've worked for this and I'm where I'm meant to be.”
Jayda Turner is a sophomore child, youth and family studies major from Bellevue, Nebraska.