The National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) today announced its preseason coaches’ poll for the 2022 season, which begins on Thursday, Feb. 3 in Mars Hill, N.C.
Baylor, winners of six-straight NCATA National Championships, was voted first on 29 of 31 ballots and is the preseason favorite in 2022. Azusa Pacific, the runner-up at last year’s NCATA Championships, edged out Oregon by one point (411-410) in the preseason voting and will begin the season at No. 2 in the nation. Oregon was voted third in the country, followed by Quinnipiac at No. 4 (366) and Hawaii Pacific at No. 5 (321).
Gannon finished just three points behind HPU and will begin the season at No. 6 in the nation, followed by Converse (241), Fairmont State (237), Limestone (231) and King (208) rounding out the top 10.
West Liberty starts the bottom-third of the coaches’ poll at No. 11 after garnering 108 points in the preseason voting. Presbyterian (88), Belmont Abbey (76), Mary-Hardin Baylor (61) and Frostburg State (49) rounded out the poll at No. 12 through No. 15, respectively.
The 2022 season gets underway on Thursday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m., when No. 9 Limestone travels to Mars Hill (N.C.) for a Conference Carolinas meet. The opening week continues with five more meets over the weekend from Friday, Feb. 4 through Sunday, Feb. 6.
The 2022 NCATA meet schedule is contingent upon the ability to conduct the sport safely while adhering to state and local guidelines and COVID-19 protocols at each member institution utilizing NCATA and NCAA guidelines.
Spectators for 2022 Acrobatics & Tumbling meets will be at the discretion of each competing institution and will be considered based on state and local guidelines and social distancing protocols to keep all student-athletes, coaches, officials and game day personnel safe at all times.
2022 NCATA Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. Baylor (29) - 463
2. Azusa Pacific (1) - 411
3. Oregon (1) - 410
4. Quinnipiac - 366
5. Hawaii Pacific - 321
6. Gannon - 318
7. Converse - 241
8. Fairmont State - 237
9. Limestone - 231
10. King - 208
11. West Liberty - 108
12. Presbyterian - 88
13. Belmont Abbey - 76
14. Mary-Hardin Baylor - 61
15. Frostburg State - 49
( ) - first-place votes