"The equestrian team at University of California, Davis, will be downgraded to club status to open an NCAA varsity slot for the sport known as stunt, the university has announced. The decision to elevate stunt in the 2026-'27 academic year took into account several sport-specific realities, said the Jan. 9 announcement from the school's athletic department. Since 1998, Equestrian has been classified as an NCAA Emerging Sport, without a defined pathway toward NCAA championship sponsorship or expansion in Division I participation, it said."
"Conversely, STUNT is now an NCAA Championship-sponsored sport, offering a more stable regional and nationally aligned competitive structure. Stunt is an offshoot of cheerleading in which teams perform acrobatic routines involving tumbling, pyramids and throws. Noting the rapid growth of collegiate stunt programs, the NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics last year recommended that a national championship be added for the sport in the 2026-'27 year."
University of California, Davis will downgrade its equestrian team to club status to open an NCAA varsity slot for stunt effective in 2026-27. Stunt has gained NCAA Championship sponsorship and offers a more stable regional and national competitive structure compared with equestrian, which has been an NCAA Emerging Sport since 1998 without a defined pathway to championship sponsorship or Division I expansion. Stunt consists of acrobatic cheerleading routines including tumbling, pyramids and throws. Davis currently fields 33 women on its equestrian roster and is one of 14 Division I dual-discipline programs. Equestrian financial aid will continue through athletes' undergraduate degrees, and the team is circulating a petition to reconsider.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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