FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Longtime Fairmont State head coach Kristi Kiefer will be inshrined into the Fairmont State University Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday evening (Oct. 2). Kiefer is one of the five founding coaches of the sports of Acrobatics & Tumbling and continues to contribute to the sport in many ways today.

"All of us at the NCATA and in the Acrobatics & Tumbling community are thrilled to see Kristi's induction into the Fairmont State Athletics Hall of Fame,” said NCATA Executive Director Janell Cook. “Kristi's career at Fairmont State as a coach and as an administrator is an example for all of us. Her dedication and advocacy led to the creation of a new sport, the first ever conference championship, and the addition of the NCAA's 93rd championship sport. She always remained focused on student-athletes and fought to ensure opportunities would grow beyond her immediate sphere of influence at Fairmont State and in the Mountain East Conference.

"Kristi's courage and passion are only outshined by the class and kindness she demonstrates daily. Her leadership and guidance have shaped the NCATA, the women she has coached, and a generation of athletes who are living out their dreams across the country. An absolutely incredible legacy,” Cook added.



Kiefer’s impact on Fairmont State Athletics spanned more than four decades as a student-athlete, coach, mentor and pioneer in women’s sports. Her time at the school began as a member of the competitive cheer team in 1979. Later as a coach for that same program, she led the Falcons to the 1995 UCA National Championship and 2010 NCA National Championship. Her cheer teams also won WVIAC Championships from 1993 to 1999 and again in 2001.

In 2010 she helped create the sport of Acrobatics & Tumbling and served as Fairmont State’s head coach in the sport from 2010 to 2020. Leading the Falcons, she was named national coach of the year in 2012 and 2019, while leading Fairmont State to the first-ever Mountain East Conference championship in the sport in 2019, winning both the regular season and tournament championships. She was also named MEC Coach of the Year in 2019.



“Kristi has left a lasting legacy at Fairmont State University and within the sport of acrobatics and tumbling,” said Fairmont State Director of Athletics Bryan Spitzer. “As one of the founding coaches of the sport and a longtime leader of our program, her impact extends far beyond the mat. Her dedication to our student-athletes, the growth of the sport, and Fairmont State Athletics makes her a deserving member of our Hall of Fame. We are proud to welcome Kristi into this special group of Fighting Falcons.”

Her pioneering efforts helped advance the sport to NCAA Emerging Sport for Women status in 2020 and six years later the sport earned Championship sport status, with the first-ever NCAA National Championship planned for this spring. Her contributions to the sport were recognized with the inaugural NCATA Founders Award at last spring’s NCATA National Championships. The Kristi Kiefer Acrobatics & Tumbling Classic is also held each year at Fairmont State, further establishing her legacy to the sport and the university.

In addition to her role in coaching, Kiefer has served as Associate AD and Senior Woman Administrator at FSU since 2004.