— By Bill Cornwell
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall University announced earlier this year its intention to add a 19th varsity sport to its athletic portfolio in Women’s STUNT.
This week, MU officials announced the STUNT program will officially begin competition in the 2028 spring sports season.
Marshall University’s Board of Governors approved the addition of STUNT as a varsity sport in February at the same time as a vote took place to drop MU’s women’s swimming and diving program.
After an abundance of support expressed for the women’s swim and dive program, the university ultimately reversed itself and returned the program during a March vote.
Thus, Marshall is the only Sun Belt Conference school with plans to field a STUNT team.
“STUNT has quickly emerged as one of the nation’s fastest growing sports and we are pleased to add a varsity program that maximizes our opportunities for female sports while providing a sport with a clear pathway to an NCAA championship,” Marshall Vice President and Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison said. “This addition to our athletics landscape will not only be a great addition for Marshall Athletics, but also a key recruiting tool for our university. It’s one more reason that it’s a great day to run with the Herd!”
The first Marshall Stunt head coach is expected to be hired later this summer, according to a timeline announced by Marshall Athletics. Other parts of the timeline include beginning facility enhancements and recruiting efforts this fall, establishing an initial roster of 30 student-athletes in Fall 2027, beginning competition in spring 2028, expanding the roster to 45 student-athletes in fall 2028 with a goal of having a roster of 65 in Fall 2029.
STUNT is governed by USA Cheer and transforms traditional cheerleading skills into a head-to-head, four-quarter format that emphasizes athleticism and precision. Scoring is based on partner stunts, pyramids, jumps and tumbling with points awarded based on execution.
There are 40-plus programs to sponsor STUNT at the NCAA level and there is a high level of growth within the sport in nearby states such as Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and Ohio.
Marshall Athletic Department leaders are at this week’s College Stunt Nationals at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. The top STUNT programs in the nation such as Kentucky, Cal Poly and Cal Baptist, will be competing in the event.
Stunt will become the 94th NCAA sport with a championship in spring 2027.
Amy Haney, the Director of College and High School Stunt for USA Cheer, is pleased with Marshall’s aggressive plan for its Stunt program.
“Marshall’s dedication to both academic and athletic excellence makes them a perfect fit for the continued expansion of STUNT at the highest collegiate level,” Haney said. “We’re excited to see their program bring a highly competitive standard and level of excellence to the STUNT community while expanding meaningful opportunities for female athletes and helping them grow as leaders on campus and in the community.”