SEGUIN, Texas -- Sixteen years after the sport's inception, acrobatics and tumbling has been approved as an NCAA Championship sport.

The legislation was approved following a consensus vote between Divisions I, II and III to establish a collegiate championship at the NCAA Convention in Maryland this week. Across the three divisions, 47 universities currently sponsor acrobatics and tumbling with more than 1,300 student-athlete participants.

According to the NCAA, at least 40 schools must sponsor the sport at a varsity level and meet competition and participation requirements before being approved for championship status. Acrobatics and tumbling was named an NCAA Emerging Sport in 2020 and was recommended for championship status in May of 2025.

Acrobatics and tumbling joins stunt, wrestling, beach volleyball, bowling, water polo, ice hockey and rowing as the latest sport to achieve NCAA championship status through the Emerging Sports for Women program.

Texas Lutheran began sponsoring the sport in 2023 alongside a number of schools nationwide as acrobatics and tumbling is the fastest growing sport for women. The program has grown quickly with the Bulldogs making their first NCAA Division-III national championship appearance in 2025.

Head coach Macie Searls began her career at East Texas Baptist as a student-athlete, holding the program high score for Aerial Tumbling Pass, winning an Open Pyramid Championship, and she was a part of the first program 10.0 at the DIII Tournament in 2023. 

Next Steps
Following Friday's approval, a NCAA Women's Acrobatics and Tumbling Committee will be formed and begin preparations for the first national championship, which will take place in the spring of 2027. The committee will be a sport-specific group that will be responsible for determining championship hosts, format and dates.

The NCAA Board of Governors approved a budget for the National Collegiate Women's Acrobatics and Tumbling Championship in August 2025.

As acrobatics and tumbling progresses towards it's first season in the NCAA, Texas Lutheran will continue preparations for upcoming competition in 2026. The Bulldogs will travel to East Texas Baptist for the first meet of the season on Feb. 12. A competitive home schedule will feature visits from Missouri State (DI), Augustana University (DII), and East Texas Baptist before making a trip to Marshall for the 2026 NCATA Division-III Postseason Invitational.

Fans are invited to attend all home meets at Memorial Gymnasium free of charge.

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).