NCATA Announces Addition of Two Schools

Gannon University and Adrian College recently announced they will start acrobatics and tumbling programs. Both schools will begin competition in the 2014 season.

Gannon Director of Athletics Mark Richard named former University of Oregon All-American Chelsea White as the program’s first head coach, while Adrian College has pegged Regina Smith as the Bulldogs first-ever acrobatics and tumbling head coach.

“There has been an increased popularity and demand for the sport of Acrobatics and Tumbling during recent years,” Richard said. “This provides high school female student-athletes the opportunity to compete at the highest level as a Lady Knight. We are extremely excited to watch this sport grow and eventually become a fully-sanctioned NCAA varsity sport.”

“It’s an honor and a dream for me to be the head coach of the new Acrobatics and Tumbling Program at such a prestigious academic, athletic and faith-based institution as Gannon University,” White said. “I am thrilled to be part of the first 10 universities and colleges to add Acrobatics and Tumbling as a women’s sport in their athletics departments.

White comes to Gannon after helping the University of Oregon win back-to-back national championships in 2011 and 2012. The Ducks also recorded a third-place finish at the national championships during her sophomore campaign. She was a four-year letterwinner, …