WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following majority votes by the Division II and Division III membership on Friday morning, Acrobatics & Tumbling has been added as the NCAA’s 93rd national championship. The Division I cabinet additionally approved the championship on Wednesday during its annual cabinet meeting in Washington, D.C.
Acrobatics & Tumbling now advances from the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program to become a National Collegiate championship, which features NCAA member programs from all three divisions competing against each other for a national title. The first national championship will be crowned in the spring of 2027.
"This moment represents an unprecedented collaborative effort by the individuals and member institutions in the acrobatics & tumbling community,” said Janell Cook, executive director of the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association. “The vision, resiliency, and innovation required to accomplish this goal has been carried out with passionate resolve and today is a celebration of every student-athlete, coach, and administrator who has invested in the development of the sport.
“They did so without guarantees or favor, remaining committed to equity and safety while creating unique, quality opportunities for student-athletes. Today, I am thinking about all the student-athletes who dreamed about competing for an NCAA championship, who pioneered this sport for the benefit of others who will now have that opportunity.”
Added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program in August 2020, acrobatics & tumbling continued to take significant steps of growth by eclipsing the necessary 40 schools that must sponsor it at the varsity level and meet minimum sports sponsorship requirements to become eligible for championship status.
"It is a major win for the NCAA to add acrobatics & tumbling as a championship sport,” added NCAA president Charlie Baker. “We thank everyone who played a role in supporting this effort and look forward to continue providing world-class opportunities for women to compete in this incredible sport."
Currently, 52 institutions from the NCAA sponsor Acrobatics & Tumbling as a varsity sport, with over 1,300 student-athletes preparing to compete this spring. The 2026 season gets underway on Sunday, February 1, 2026.
Acrobatics & Tumbling is a fast-paced, team-based discipline in which athletes perform a series of synchronized skills in events such as acrobatics, pyramid, toss, tumbling and team routines. Meets feature six events and typically span 90 to 120 minutes, with skills scored on difficulty and execution. The sport is currently governed by the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) and draws participants from gymnastics, cheerleading, diving, dance and other strength-based sports.
"It is amazing to see our membership's ongoing commitment to the growth of opportunities for women in college sports,” said Lynda Tealer, senior vice president of championships at the NCAA. “The acrobatics & tumbling community deserves a championship stage and we are excited for the high level of competition that will soon be on full display."
The NCAA Women’s Acrobatics & Tumbling Committee will be established as a specific sport committee charged with overseeing the championship and with 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. This week’s votes are the culmination of a 16 year effort to become a NCAA championship sport.
“Making acrobatics & tumbling an NCAA championship honors the young women whose vision, courage, and excellence brought the sport to national prominence,” said Jacqie McWilliams, chair of the NCAA Committee on Access, Opportunity and Impact and commissioner of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. “Today, we celebrate their journey and open the door for future student-athletes to keep redefining what’s possible.”
Acrobatics & Tumbling becomes one of eight sports that earned NCAA championship status through the Emerging Sports for Women program, joining the following: rowing (1996), ice hockey (2000), water polo (2000), bowling (2003), beach volleyball (2015), women’s wrestling (2025) and stunt (2026).
Sponsorship and participation in emerging sports increased by more than 20% in 2024-25, with nearly 7,000 athletes participating across all three divisions.
COMMENTS FROM DII AND DIII MEMBERS OF THE A&T COMMUNITY
Reid Amos, Commissioner of the Mountain East Conference
“In a world that embraces so many long established sports, to see Acrobatics & Tumbling, in roughly a decade, go from creation to reaching the point of approval as an NCAA Championship sport is truly a remarkable achievement. We at the Mountain East Conference and our participating members will always be proud to have been supporters of A&T from its earliest stages and to have been the first league to conduct a conference championship in the sport.”
Ryan Erwin, Senior Vice President for Campus Life at East Texas Baptist University
"From the very beginning of the launch of acrobatics & tumbling, many dedicated administrators and staff have led the charge to take A&T through the NCAA emerging sport process, ultimately leading to a historic day for NCAA Championship status for the entire sport. I could not be more excited and proud of everyone that helped make this happen and am happy to have played a small part in this incredible accomplishment for acrobatics & tumbling."
Reigh Lea Moore, Head Coach at Azusa Pacific University
“This moment signifies a massive win for our community. We are so excited for the future of the sport and the young women who will now have the opportunity to compete for NCAA championships. As a founding member institution, Azusa Pacific University has served alongside incredible leaders and invested countless hours into the development of Acrobatics & Tumbling. I am proud to represent an institution that didn't just join the movement but helped build it from the ground up.”
Meg Sharp, Associate Athletics Director/SWA at Adrian College
“When I reflect on the journey to this point, this moment represents perseverance and community. The progress of this sport has been built by people who believed in its potential long before it reached the national stage—often without guarantees or recognition. What I’m most proud of is the collective effort it took to move through the emerging sport process: the late nights, the advocacy, the willingness to push forward even when the path wasn’t clear. Reaching a vote for championship status is not just a milestone—it’s a testament to what can be achieved when a community commits to growth, equity, and opportunity.
THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ACROBATICS & TUMBLING ASSOCIATION (NCATA)
The mission and vision of the NCATA is to bring the sport of Acrobatics & Tumbling through NCAA emerging sport status to become a fully sanctioned NCAA championship sport. The NCATA is dedicated to the guidance, leadership and governance for the sport at the collegiate level based on fair and safe competition while adding competitive varsity opportunities for female student-athletes. The NCATA is committed to promoting Acrobatics & Tumbling, creating new competitive opportunities for student-athletes, coaches and institutions with an emphasis on the value of responsibility, competitiveness, dedication, sportsmanship and education. Nationwide, 52 NCAA institutions sponsor Acrobatics & Tumbling as a varsity sport, with 47 programs competing during the 2025-26 academic year. Overall, over 1,300 student-athletes will compete at the collegiate level this spring.