STUNT, the cheer-based competitive sport, is gaining ground toward NCAA championship status. As part of the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, STUNT now has 26 college programs nationwide, with 40 schools anticipated to sponsor the sport in 2024-25. This increase brings STUNT closer to meeting the 40-school threshold required for NCAA championship recognition.
Since officially joining the NCAA Emerging Sports program in August, STUNT has seen rapid growth as a college sport, giving cheerleading athletes a platform for structured, competitive routines. The sport focuses on essential cheer elements, including stunts, pyramids, jumps, and synchronized tumbling, and is organized into four quarters where teams perform head-to-head routines judged on precision and execution.
This recent data from the NCAA highlights STUNT’s rise and shows a continued focus on expanding opportunities for female athletes in college sports. Ragean Hill, the Committee on Women’s Athletics chair, noted the impact, saying, “The increase in sport sponsorship plays a pivotal role in creating equitable opportunities for female athletes.”
As STUNT moves closer to NCAA championship status, acrobatics & tumbling, another cheer-adjacent sport, is also making strides. With 43 schools sponsoring programs in 2023-24, acrobatics & tumbling is well-positioned for NCAA consideration as well, pending additional growth and NCAA review.
Both sports’ growth reflects a larger trend within the Emerging Sports for Women program, which reported a 30% jump in participation opportunities for women over the past year. To earn NCAA championship status, each sport must meet participation and competition minimums and receive final NCAA approval, a process that can span several years.
With STUNT and acrobatics & tumbling nearing these milestones, cheer athletes and college programs alike are watching the developments closely. If these sports gain full NCAA championship recognition, it could provide a new competitive stage for cheer athletes and further expand women’s sports opportunities in college athletics.
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