Malone University Adds Varsity STUNT
Malone University has announced the addition of a varsity STUNT program to the list of athletic department offerings at the university beginning in the 2023-24 academic year.
STUNT, one of the fastest growing female sports in the country, incorporates the technical and athletic components of cheer, in which teams create short routines to compete against opponents. In a typical STUNT competition, four quarters are played that include partner stunts, pyramids and tosses, jumps and tumbling, and a team routine.
In April of 2020, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) recommended the addition of STUNT as an emerging NCAA sport. The CWA reaffirmed that recommendation in February of 2022 as NCAA divisional membership considers it at the 2023 NCAA Convention.
The CWA noted the continued growth in high school STUNT sponsorship and participation, the steady increase in the number of member institutions sponsoring the sport, and the support from USA Cheer in addition to several other items as compelling rationale to include STUNT as an emerging sport for women.
With this additional program, the Pioneers will now offer eighteen varsity athletic programs to its current and prospective student-athletes.
"We are well positioned to add athletic programs that meet emerging interests," said Malone President Dr. Gregory Miller. "We have a history of launching new programs and being successful in recruitment and in competition. We are looking forward to adding these student-athletes to our community."
"STUNT enables us to expand programming for our female student-athletes with competition against other Great Midwest Athletic Conference institutions," Director of Athletics Tanya Hockman stated. "It is exciting for Malone University to be on the front edge of this emerging sport."
In October of this year the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) announced that it would begin sponsoring STUNT as a championship sport beginning with the 2022-23 season. Current Great Midwest members that sponsor the sport of STUNT include Ashland University, Tiffin University, and Ursuline College with Walsh University also adding the sport for the 2023-24 season.