BUFFALO, NY -- The Texas Lutheran University acrobatics and tumbling team will always be able to look back at the 2025 season and remember its strong finish in what could be a turning point season for a program still in its infant stages.
In just their third season, Texas Lutheran competed in the Division-III Tournament Championship meet Saturday morning and won five heats but it was not enough to give the Bulldogs their first Division-III NCATA Championship as the No. 7-ranked and tournament No.1 seed Mary Hardin-Baylor completed their three-peat as D3 Tournament champions at the Buffalo State Sports Arena in Buffalo, New York. The Bulldogs would drop the meet to the Crusaders with the Bulldogs (6-4) earning a total score of 234.625 and the Crusaders (7-3) earning a total score of 255.095.
Texas Lutheran is the Division-III national runner-up for the first-time in program history, dropping their first appearance in the championship meet. Saturday's performance by the Bulldogs capped a run through the NCATA Division-III Championship Tournament which saw Texas Lutheranbeat No. 7 seed Calvin University decisively in the quarterfinals and claimed a comeback win over No. 3 seed Concordia Wisconsin in the semifinals.
Texas Lutheran closes the season with a 6-4 record with all of the Bulldogs losses coming to ranked competition. The six wins are a new program record.
Texas Lutheran would score a 33.275 in the compulsory, including an 8.825 in acro, 9.6 in pyramid, 9.525 in toss, and 5.325 in tumbling out of the highest possible value of 10. UMHB outscored the Bulldogs in the compulsory, earning a 37.275 total score.
After the acro event, TLU continued to trail the Crusaders with Texas Lutheran earning a total score of 26.725 consisting of a 9.45 in the fifth element, 7.875 in the sixth element, and 9.40 in the seventh element. The Crusaders narrowly outscored the Bulldogs in the event earning a score of 28.825.
TLU cut into the UMHB lead by winning the pyramid event, outscoring the Crusaders in the pyramid event, 28.875 to 28.600.
Leading into the half, TLU trailed UMHB 94.70 - 88.875.
The Crusaders narrowly took the toss event, with event scores being 27.2 - 25.325. Texas Lutheran earned an 8.96 in salto, 8.025 in synchronized, and 8.35 in open.
Despite the Bulldogs winning three heats, the Crusaders found a way to win the tumbling event, 51.425-45.225. The tumbling event was highlighted by an 8.6 out of 9.55 in the duo pass, a 9.275 out of 9.55 in the aerial pass, a 7.7 out of 8.0 in the six-element pass, and a 9.2 out of 9.55 in the open pass.
In the Team event, Texas Lutheran competed and scored 75.20/90.65. The Crusaders performed, scoring a 81.77/101.72.
The meet finalized with UMHB coming out on top with a 255.095 score against TLU's 234.625.
Following the conclusion of the tournament, Phoenix Cosley (Round Rock/Hendrickson) and Gracen Bunch (Georgetown/Georgetown) were named to the All-Tournament First Team while Brie Brown (Minden, LA/Minden) was named to the All-Tournament Second Team. Brown, Claire Cupples (Katy/Taylor), and Alysa Marquez (Miami, FL/Dr. Michael Krop) were named to the NCATA Division-III All-Academic Team.
For more information on Texas Lutheran Acrobatics & Tumbling, follow the Bulldogs on Twitter and Instagram (@tluacrotumb) and as always you can find updates on all Texas Lutheran athletics on tlubulldogs.com and all official TLU social media channels (@tluathletics on Twitter, @tlu_athletics on Instagram and TikTok, and @tlubulldogs on Facebook).
