Belmont Athletics Adds STUNT as 18th Program
- Reece Leddy
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
Belmont University is expanding with another athletic program for the first time in 25 years with the addition of STUNT.
STUNT turns cheerleading into a head-to-head competition that focuses on skill and precision, according to the NCAA. It is formatted by teams going through four quarters of stunts, pyramids, jumps and tumbling with points being awarded based on execution.
At Belmont, members of the cheer team have the opportunity to audition for the STUNT team but cannot participate in both programs.
STUNT is a fast-growing sport that 40 schools adopted, the minimum requirement to become an emerging sport in the NCAA.
Belmont’s program plans to begin competing in the 2026-2027 academic year as a spring sport.
“As an NCAA emerging sport for women, STUNT is on an undeniable growth trajectory,” said Renee Schultz, senior associate athletic director for student-athlete success. “STUNT will provide educational opportunities and championship experiences to many young women who otherwise may not have pursued an NCAA sport in college.”
The new sport joined the NCAA’s Emerging Sports for Women program in 2023 in Divisions I and II, then later joined Division III in 2024.
The program’s minimal facility needs made STUNT an easy fit for Belmont and sparked interest to Scott Corley, vice president and director of athletics.
“I didn't know a lot about it I'll be honest,” said Corley, “But when we looked at what sports would probably make the most sense…We ought to look at an indoor sport.”
STUNT’s playoffs are organized in a double-elimination tournament structure much like college baseball and softball.
As of now, Belmont remains the only school in the Missouri Valley Conference to add the program.
There are no confirmed plans to stream Belmont’s home STUNT competitions, but the department is exploring how to make it possible, said Greg Sage, associate athletic director for broadcasting and media relations.
“Broadcasting STUNT would be a new initiative and would require consultation with peer institutions who are currently broadcasting the sport,” he said.
The program has yet to name a coach or finalize a roster, but Corley said the program expects to start with a roster of 15 to 20 student-athletes in its first season and grow to about 30 by year two.
As Belmont prepares for STUNT’s debut in 2027, the program will begin to take shape within the coming months.
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This article was written by Reece Leddy