January 16, 2026. Sixteen years in the making.

Today’s NCAA votes are the realization of a dream that started from scratch in 2009.  Inspired by the University of Maryland’s move to classify their all-girl cheer team as a varsity sport, five institutions joined forces with them to figure out how to build on that effort. Administrators from Azusa Pacific University, Baylor University, Fairmont State University, Quinnipiac University, and the University of Oregon identified the need to provide varsity opportunities to meet the interests and abilities of young women training in cheerleading and from the various disciplines of gymnastics.

Together, they created a new format that carried forward the dynamic, team aspect of cheer and brought in the structure and scoring model of gymnastics. The founding schools prioritized implementing the sport in a manner which would: meet Title IX requirements with regard to the structure of training, competition and postseason opportunities; elevate safety and inclusion for student-athletes; add value to campuses across all divisions by addressing equity and enrollment; and ultimately, to become a NCAA championship sport.

The path to the NCAA began with their emerging sports for women program. An emerging sport is a women’s sport recognized by the NCAA that is intended to help schools provide more athletics opportunities for women and more sport-sponsorship options for institutions, while helping that sport achieve NCAA championship status.  To support the effort, the founding institutions formed the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) in 2010 and hosted the first NCATA National Championships in the spring of 2011.

USA Gymnastics (USAG) and the NCATA partnered in May 2013 to establish competition in the new format at the youth level. Acrobatics & Tumbling was added as a program under the Gymnastics For All (GfA) discipline and the first Youth Acrobatics & Tumbling championships was held in 2014 at the annual USA GymFest event.  The program was rebranded as the Acrobatics & Tumbling Development Program in 2022 and experienced significant growth in participation. As a result, USAG announced they will host a standalone championship event for the program for the first-time ever in 2026. The inaugural Acrobatics & Tumbling Development Program National Championships will be held this spring in conjunction with the NCATA National Championships (LINK).

In the spring of 2018, acrobatics & tumbling reached the threshold of twenty competing programs required for consideration by the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA) to be recommended for emerging sport legislation. In April the following year, the CWA recommended that all three NCAA divisions take the appropriate legislative action to add acrobatics & tumbling to the emerging sports for women program.  

That spring, the Mountain East Conference (DII) became the first NCAA conference to sponsor acrobatics & tumbling as a conference sport, announcing the first conference championship to be held during the 2019 season.  Conference Carolinas (DII) became the second conference to sponsor the sport in 2020.  The conference hosted an Event Championships in 2020, with the full inaugural conference championship event taking place in 2021.  

At the 2020 NCAA convention in Anaheim, California, the membership in Division II and Division III voted to approve Acrobatics & Tumbling as an emerging sport for women.  Later that year in June, the NCAA Division I Council cast their vote to approve.

NCAA emerging sport status served as a catalyst for new program growth.  Acrobatics and tumbling quickly grew its NCAA sponsorship from 27 schools in the 2020-21 academic year to more than 40 in 2023-24.  Before the CWA can recommend a sport for NCAA championship status, at least 40 schools must sponsor it at the varsity level and meet the sport's minimum competition and participant requirements. The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics voted in the spring of 2025 to recommend that all three divisions sponsor legislation to establish a National Collegiate Championship in acrobatics & tumbling. 

This week at the NCAA Convention, all three divisions voted to establish a National Collegiate championship for Acrobatics & Tumbling. The inaugural event will take place in spring 2027. The NCAA Women’s Acrobatics & Tumbling Committee will be established as a specific sport committee charged with overseeing the championships, and playing rules responsibility. Administrators and coaches from NCAA member institutions are eligible to serve on the committee. The committee will be charged with determining the format and date of the championships as well as oversee the bid process for hosting championship events.

As growth continues, the opportunity for divisional championships will become a new goal for the sport. Each division requires a different number of competing teams to establish a championship (DI - 40, DII - 35, DIII - 28 (team sports)).  Program growth in all divisions is expected following the creation of a NCAA collegiate championship.

The impact of the votes will be celebrated immediately by the student-athletes, coaches, and administrators of the NCATA, as well as former student-athletes who laid the groundwork for this milestone.

But its impact will also be felt by generations of future athletes that will now have a chance to compete at the highest level in the sport.

Those who paved the way for today’s historic news will forever inspire the future generations of acrobatics & tumbling student-athletes.


COMMENTS FROM THE ACROBATICS & TUMBLING COMMUNITY
Chris Colvin, Commissioner of Conference Carolinas
“Our conference's event finals competition is annually one of my favorite events as a Commissioner. The comradery, sportsmanship, and intense competition is phenomenal. I look forward to this being a regular part of the NCAA experience moving forward.”

Danielle Cutri, Head Coach at Fairmont State University
“This moment represents the power of belief and collective commitment. I started this sport as an athlete in 2011 with no real understanding of what it would become, only a willingness to show up, work hard, and believe in something new. Over the years, this journey has been shaped by athletes, coaches, administrators, and institutions who stayed invested even when the outcome was uncertain. Reaching this point is a reflection of that shared perseverance and trust in the process. It honors everyone who poured time, energy, and heart into building the sport from the ground up and proves that when a community moves forward together, real and lasting change is possible.”

Katie Harbert, Associate Athletics Director at the University of Oregon
“As one of the founding institutions sponsoring Acrobatics & Tumbling as a varsity sport, we are pleased to witness its continued growth and advancement as it moves into NCAA championship status. Acrobatics & Tumbling offers a unique opportunity for female athletes to compete at the collegiate level. We are proud to provide these opportunities at the University of Oregon, supporting exceptional women as both student-athletes and coaches, and we look forward to the sport’s continued development and success.”

Nancy Post, Associate Athletics Director at Baylor University
“When we first came together to create this sport, it was clear from the presence in the room that someday this day would come. We had no idea of all that it would take to achieve but we knew it would happen because of the dedication and commitment, unwavering support and incredible student-athletes that would ultimately bring the vision of this sport to life before the nation’s eyes, many of whom began as student-athletes then joined the coaching ranks to pour back into their sport, furthering its development as they developed their own programs.” 

Mary Ann Powers, Head Coach at Quinnipiac University
"I’m incredibly excited to see acrobatics & tumbling receive NCAA championship status. As one of the founding members, it was always our belief that the goal was attainable. When we first attempted this endeavor I knew we would face challenges, but I never doubted for a moment that the NCAA would ultimately see value in our sport. To have this dream become a reality is a tribute to all our former and current student athletes, coaches, and administrators here at Quinnipiac. For us, this is a time of feeling validated for constantly putting the sport itself first. Our sport represents a diverse set of skills and backgrounds, and I’m incredibly proud to help pioneer a path forward.”

Raffaela Scotto, Head Coach at UMHB
“I’m most proud of the collective commitment and perseverance that carried acrobatics & tumbling through every stage of the process. When I started in the sport in 2018 as a student-athlete, we weren’t even recognized as an emerging sport yet—we were simply competing because we believed in it. To now be part of this journey as a coach, helping lead the sport into NCAA Championship status, is incredibly meaningful. It speaks to how far the sport has come and to the dedication of the athletes, coaches, and advocates who continued to push forward. Being able to contribute to its growth across generations is something I’ll always be proud of.”

Meg Sharp, Associate Athletics Director/SWA at Adrian College
“The passage of this legislation is transformative for student-athletes across all three divisions. It sends a powerful message that their dedication, sacrifices, and competitive excellence are valued at the highest level. For current student-athletes, it validates the work they’ve already put in; for future student-athletes, it opens doors to new opportunities, visibility, and competitive experiences. From a sports perspective, this moment is a turning point—it elevates standards, strengthens the pipeline, and ensures long-term sustainability. This isn’t just growth for today; it’s an investment in the future of the sport."

Dr. Hunter Simms, Vice President for Athletics at UMHB
“What an awesome moment for our acrobatics & tumbling community! This sport has seen tremendous growth over the course of its history and today is another monumental win. I am excited for this additional opportunity for women within the NCAA.”

Taylor Susnara, Head Coach at the University of Oregon
“2014-2026 -- that’s roughly twelve years that I’ve been a part of the sport of acrobatics & tumbling. From just 14 schools to now over 50 – that is true expansion and growth. Not only has size increased, but overall depth in the skill sets we are competing has expanded; and the athletes we are recruiting come from a multitude of backgrounds and disciplines. The broadened awareness of the sport is reaching more and more coaches, gyms, high schools, universities, fans, and more. History is being made, and I couldn’t feel more proud to be a part of something so special. This sport brings people together; it breeds confidence, and most importantly, it provides opportunity. This vote means more than just another check on a list, it shows power, belief, and support. It’s a chance for current and future women to showcase their craft and mold history with the recognition they deserve. I’m so grateful for those who came before me and took a leap of faith into the unknown.”