The 7th Annual Championship was held on the Campus of Southern Methodist University.
Bartlett, Tenn., May 2, 2017 – USA Cheer, the governing body for cheer in the U.S., held their 2017 College STUNT National Championship at Moody Coliseum on the campus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas on April 29 and 30.
More than 30 colleges and universities participated in College STUNT this season. Oklahoma State University’s STUNT team claimed their 4th consecutive Division I title, and the Panthers from Davenport University claimed their 3rd consecutive Division II title at this year’s Championship, which was shown live on ESPN3.
“We are proud of the eight schools that made it to STUNT’s seventh College STUNT National Championship, and offer our heartfelt congratulations to the athletes from Oklahoma State University and Davenport University,” says Bill Boggs, Director of STUNT for USA Cheer, which developed the format of STUNT in collaboration with cheerleading experts, women’s sports experts and coaches from colleges and universities with long histories of cheerleading excellence. “The coaches and athletes showed great enthusiasm and dedication throughout the entire season, and are an inspiration for other athletes of this relatively new sport.”
USA Cheer presented their Coaches of the Year for the 2017 season on Sunday during the half time of the semifinal and championship games. The following coaches and administrator were recognized:
Division I: Caitlyn Vermiglio, Michigan State University
Division II: Jessica Stiles, Oklahoma Baptist University
Administrator of the Year: Sarah Dehring, Senior Women’s Administrator, Alma College
Women’s STUNT, the new varsity sport derived from cheerleading launched by USA Cheer, has completed its seventh season at the college level and fourth for high school. Developed to meet the requirements of a sport under Title IX, STUNT takes the athletic skills of cheerleading— partner stunts, jumps, tumbling and pyramids —and creates a full, hour long format that challenges teams in head-to-head competition. College participation has continued to grow over the past seven seasons, and more than 100 high schools from nine states have participated, making STUNT the fastest growing female sport in the country.
To learn more about STUNT or USA Cheer, visit www.usacheer.org, or contact Sheila Noone, media@usacheer.org.
About USA Cheer
The USA Federation for Sport Cheering is a not-for-profit organization and is the national governing body for all disciplines of cheerleading. USA Cheer exists to serve the entire cheer community, including club cheering (All Star), traditional school based cheer programs and the new sport of STUNT. USA Cheer has three primary objectives: help grow and develop interest and participation in Cheer throughout the United States; promote safety and safety education for cheer in the United States; and represent the United States of America in international cheer competitions.