Clinton Resident Among Patriots Cheerleaders at Super Bowl

FOXBOROUGH, MA — When the New England Patriots take the field Sunday in Houston to face the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, there will be 33 cheerleaders on their sideline. Of those, seven have significant ties to Connecticut, including a Clinton resident.

The Nutmeg State members of the Patriots cheerleading squad are:

• Alex Brandy, a rookie who grew up in Terryville and now resides in Clinton. She is a fitness director, personal trainer and group fitness instructor at Balance in Seymour; a dance instructor at Apogee Dance Academy in Southington; and a professional dancer for DFX Entertainment, a casting agency based out of Rocky Hill.
• Karen Link, a third-year cheerleader and line captain who grew up in Terryville.
• Melissa DeChello, a rookie from Hamden who graduated from the University of New Haven in 2016.
• Theresa Oei, a rookie from Hebron who graduated in 2011 from East Catholic High School and in 2015 from Yale University.
• Vail Madrak, a rookie from Tolland and 2016 graduate of Central Connecticut State University. She had previously been a dancer for three seasons with the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA.
• Vanessa Attardo, a rookie from Wethersfield who currently resides in Newington.
• Victoria Spadaro, a third-year cheerleader and squad captain from Cromwell who graduated from Central Connecticut State University in 2012.

Photo courtesy of Vail Madrak