Acrobatics and Tumbling Approved For NCAA Emerging Sport Status

When the UO acrobatics and tumbling program won the sport's first national title in 2011, the Ducks dreamed of the day the championship would be sponsored by the NCAA.

As of Wednesday that dream is one step closer to becoming reality. This week, the NCAA approved acrobatics and tumbling for the organization's Emerging Sports for Women status, opening up a window in which the sport can earn the right to have its championship sanctioned by the premier governing body in collegiate athletics.

"Having been a student-athlete on the first acrobatics and tumbling team at Oregon, when we only dreamed of being an NCAA sport, to now getting this passed, it's been a long time coming and a lot of hard work," UO head coach Keenyn Won said. "But it's an amazing feeling for it finally to pay off."

Emerging sport status for acrobatics and tumbling was recommended in 2019 by the NCAA's Committee on Women's Athletics. It was recommended for a vote Monday by the NCAA's Division I Strategic Vision and Planning Committee and approved Wednesday in a vote of the Division I Council.

"Today represents significant progress for the sport of acrobatics and tumbling as it becomes an NCAA emerging sport," said University of Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens. "We have been advocating for today's development for a decade, and we are encouraged by what is on the horizon for the sport. Oregon Athletics will continue to provide a first-class experience and the opportunity to compete for championships for our acrobatics and tumbling student-athletes."

Acrobatics and tumbling will officially join the Emerging Sports for Women program on Aug. 1. To earn championship status, the sport will have to continue growing to at least 40 varsity programs across the nation; currently there are 30 acrobatics and tumbling teams sponsored by NCAA schools, four at the D-I level.

The belief within the acrobatics and tumbling community is that this week's recognition from the NCAA will spark several more schools to add the sport.

"My personal opinion is, I think we're going to get that a lot quicker than people realize," Won said.

Oregon was at the vanguard of the acrobatics and tumbling movement and won the sport's first four national titles, in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. The championship is currently sanctioned by the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA), which oversees 32 programs, 30 at NCAA schools and two at NAIA schools.

The sport has fought hard over the years to differentiate itself from traditional cheerleading, and to carve out a path for young athletes with that background or in gymnastics. UO officials credited Amy Wilson, the NCAA's managing director of inclusion, for clearly delineating in recent years the steps necessary to achieve Emerging Sports for Women status.

This week's vote isn't a simple stamp of approval; acrobatics and tumbling programs will now have to abide by NCAA regulations regarding things like rules compliance in recruiting and academic eligibility standards. But in preparation for this day, Won's program has been operating under those guidelines already, she said. And acrobatics and tumbling has had access to the full array of UO athletics resources, from equipment and facilities to health care and academic support.

"Leading up to this point, we have really acted and been treated like we were an NCAA sport," Won said. "So that when we did get that 'yes,' the transition would be really easy."

This week, that 'yes' was finally heard.

"For so many years we felt like, 'this is the year,' " Won said. "For it finally to come is a huge milestone, and really exciting."

University of Oregon Athletics

Acrobatics and Tumbling Approved For NCAA Emerging Sport Status

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