Acrobatics & Tumbling will be part of the legislative slate at the 2026 NCAA Convention in National Harbor, Maryland next week. All three NCAA divisions will be voting to establish a national collegiate championship for acrobatics & tumbling.
Voting in Division I will take place on Wednesday, January 14, during the NCAA Division I Cabinet Meeting. In Divisions II and III, voting will take place on Friday, January 16, during their respective Business Sessions on legislative proposals 2026-2 (DII) and 2026-16 (DIII).
“We are looking forward to the votes next week at the NCAA convention," said NCATA Executive Director Janell Cook. "The feedback we have received has been positive, and we are grateful for the support of the NCAA membership. It is impossible to overstate how significant this week will be for the A&T community. From the group that created the sport in 2009 to the current student-athletes, the opportunity to become a NCAA championship sport affirms the years of hard work, faith, and perseverance of so many."
National collegiate championships include competition across all three divisions and are funded through association wide funds. Establishment of a national collegiate championship is a unique legislative process requiring all three divisions to pass the proposal. If one division elects not to adopt the legislation, a collegiate championship would not be established.
More than 1,300 student-athletes will compete in the spring of 2026 on acrobatics & tumbling rosters across the country. The steady increase of opportunities provided through new varsity programs sponsoring the sport has created an immeasurable impact on young women. Acrobatics & Tumbling was created in 2009 to increase competitive opportunities for young women training in the various disciplines of gymnastics and to establish varsity opportunities for cheerleaders.
“When I first joined this effort, I hoped we might someday reach this moment—but I also understood how challenging the path would be,” said Meg Sharp, Associate Athletics Director and SWA at Adrian College. “There were moments when progress felt slow, when obstacles tested our resolve, and when the question was not if the work mattered, but how long it would take to be recognized. What has exceeded every expectation is the persistence of the people involved.
“Coaches, administrators, and student-athletes never stopped believing in what this sport could become. This vote represents far more than championship status—it represents years of advocacy, resilience, and commitment. For the A&T community and our institution, it is affirmation that hard work, unity, and belief in opportunity truly matter,” Sharp explained.
Next week’s vote is the culmination of a sixteen year effort to become a NCAA championship sport. Acrobatics & Tumbling received recommendations in all three divisions for NCAA emerging sport status in 2019, with votes to adopt emerging sport legislation in January 2020 (DII/DIII) and June 2020 (DI).
“As one of the first two conferences to sponsor an Acrobatics & Tumbling conference championship, I have seen firsthand the impact that this sport has on institutions and on student-athletes,” said Chris Colvin, Commissioner of Conference Carolinas (DII). “This is a significant moment, not only for the acrobatics & tumbling community, but for female student-athletes as this provides yet another opportunity to compete for NCAA championships.”
The impact of next week's historic vote centers on student-athletes, who will have an opportunity to compete for a NCAA championship in spring of 2027. Pending approval this January, the Women’s Acrobatics & Tumbling Committee will be established as a specific sport committee charged with overseeing the championship 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.
“Being one of the original institutions who had a seat at the table from the beginning, this endeavor has afforded Fairmont State the opportunity to experience the growth, hurdles, and challenges of creating a sport on so many levels,” said founding NCATA coach and FSU Associate Athletics Director Kristi Kiefer. “The ultimate goal has always been to provide opportunities for women through the creation of a new sport that consisted of a skill set not found in any other championship sport at the collegiate level.
“Personally, I take great pride in being a part of the process and creation of Acrobatics & Tumbling from its inception - to fruition - and reaching the 2026 NCAA legislative ballot for championship status.”
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 NCATA will provide updates throughout the convention as voting takes place.