'Cheer' Fans, Get Excited — Gabi Butler Is Back On The Navarro Squad

Gabi Butler had already made a huge name for herself in the cheerleading world, but when Cheer dropped on Netflix in January, she became a bona fide mainstream celebrity. Fans were sad to see her move on from Navarro College's cheer team at the end of the docuseries, and have been keeping close eyes on her ever since. Those fans were in for a fun surprised on Feb. 6, when an Instagram post revealed Gabi Butler is back at Navarro in 2020, meaning she's coming full circle.

As of late January, Butler's plans were still in the air — at least, to the public they were. "I've never really been the type to plan out my life; it kind of just happens ... I kind of go with the flow of things," she told Elite Daily, also mentioning she'd be open to returning to Navarro if Monica needed her: "I talked to Monica ... I just kind of [told] her, like, 'I'm always here for you. If you need backup, I will be here.'" It seems this was just vague enough to keep her return to Navarro a secret until the time was right.

Butler's Instagram announcement of her return showed off her sweet bond with coach Monica Aldama. The photo featured the two women smiling next to each other with the caption: "Getting the chance to be coached by you one last time is truly a blessing ❤️ you are always gonna be like a second mom to me. I love you Monica... this ones for you #lastonebestone"

Butler shared official news of her return in an interview with the Australian radio host Smallzy on Feb. 6, saying, "So actually, I'm going to tell you now, 'cause I just announced it, but I'm actually back on the team." She then followd up by saying, "Yeah, I am gonna be on mat in Daytona this season," meaning she's back, and she's set to perform at nationals this spring.

This is big news for fans who grew to love the Navarro squad through the first season of Cheer as they earned the 2019 NCA National Championship in Daytona. However, Butler's return doesn't necessarily mean the docuseries will also come back — Netflix hasn't officially announced a Cheer Season 2 — and there's still reason to believe another season of the show could feature another team aside from Navarro. That said, whether her return is televised or not, fans are excited to hear Butler is back with the team and coach that started the whole Cheer craze.