INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The NCAA National Office announced the Championship addition of Acrobatics & Tumbling on Friday morning, which will have its first NCAA Championship in the spring of 2027.
Acrobatics & Tumbling was added during the 2026 NCAA Convention last week in Washington, D.C. This is the first time four championships have been added at one NCAA Convention, representing the meteoric rise of emerging women's sports at the NCAA level.
"We are thrilled to add four new women's championships to the NCAA. This moment reflects the growth of college sports, as schools continue to provide a record number of scholarships and opportunities across the NCAA. By expanding championship opportunities, we celebrate the remarkable momentum of women's sports, ensuring more student-athletes have the chance to compete for national titles, represent their institutions and inspire future generations," NCAA President Charlie Baker said.
Stevenson University A&T opened with its inaugural season in 2022, and is now preparing for their fifth season, under direction of Stevenson A&T alumnus and Head Coach,
Megan Despres. The squad will open their 2026 season on February 12 at 6 p.m. in Owings Mills Gymnasium.
NCAA OUTLINE:
The basics: Acrobatics and 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.
Teams compete head-to-head, executing skills at various levels of difficulty based on each team's strengths.
The growth: Acrobatics and tumbling became an emerging sport in August 2020, quickly growing its NCAA sponsorship from 27 schools in the 2020-21 academic year to more than 40 in 2023-24.
Competition format:
- Teams participate in six to 10 meets throughout the year. Each meet involves two to three teams.
- Meets feature six events, totaling 20 heats, that typically span 90 to 120 minutes.
- Skills are scored on difficulty and execution.
- Start values are listed in the Code of Points and determined by the difficulty of each skill. Skills are scored on execution and totaled by event, similar to a track and field meet.
Average roster size:
- Division I: 36 student-athletes.
- Division II: 28 student-athletes.
- Division III: 20 student-athletes.
Championship setup:
- The tournament features eight teams in a single-elimination format.
- In each of 15 event final heats, five individuals/groups qualify.
