Division I university joins the nationwide growth of the NCAA's newest women's championship sport
DALLAS, Texas — USA Cheer is proud to welcome Murray State University to the rapidly growing collegiate STUNT community. The university announced that it will add women's STUNT as a varsity sport beginning with the 2027–28 academic year following approval by the Murray State University Board of Regents.
The addition represents another important milestone for STUNT as the sport continues expanding opportunities for female student-athletes at NCAA institutions across the country.
"We are thrilled to welcome Murray State University to the STUNT community," said Amy Haney, Director of College STUNT for USA Cheer. "The addition of another NCAA Division I program demonstrates the tremendous momentum behind the sport and the value institutions see in creating new competitive opportunities for female student-athletes. We look forward to supporting Murray State as it builds its program and prepares for its inaugural season."
Created by USA Cheer, STUNT transforms the technical and athletic skills of cheerleading into an exciting head-to-head, four-quarter competition. Teams compete simultaneously in partner stunts, pyramids and tosses, jumps and tumbling, and team routines, with points awarded based on the execution of each routine.
STUNT entered the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program in 2023 and quickly surpassed the required sponsorship benchmark for championship consideration. In January 2026, NCAA members across all three divisions approved STUNT as an NCAA championship sport. The inaugural NCAA National Collegiate STUNT Championship will be held in spring 2027 and will feature teams from Divisions I, II and III competing for a single national championship.
Murray State's new STUNT program is part of a broader institutional initiative designed to expand enrollment, increase student opportunities, and strengthen the university's athletic offerings. STUNT is one of five new varsity sports approved by the university and is expected to help attract additional female student-athletes to the Murray, Kentucky, campus.
"Launching these five new sport programs is about much more than athletics—it is a strategic investment in the long-term growth and vitality of our university," Murray State University President Dr. Ron Patterson said. "These programs will expand access to higher education, attract new students to our campus and create opportunities for young people to develop as leaders, scholars and competitors."
Director of Athletics Nico Yantko added:
"As we continue leading the pack in everything that we do, we must think boldly about how athletics can support the broader mission of our university, community and region through this new bifurcated model. The addition of five new programs is a strategic move that will expand opportunities for student-athletes while creating a significant enrollment pipeline for Murray State. In today's collegiate landscape, successful athletics departments are those that align competitive excellence with institutional growth, and this initiative accomplishes both."
Murray State will begin building and onboarding its women's STUNT program in preparation for its inaugural 2027–28 season. The Racers will join a rapidly expanding community of colleges and universities investing in the future of the sport and providing female athletes with new opportunities to compete at the collegiate level.
About STUNT
STUNT is a head-to-head team sport that removes the crowd-leading component of cheerleading and focuses on its technical and athletic elements. Created by USA Cheer, the sport provides participation opportunities for female athletes at the club, high school and collegiate levels. STUNT earned NCAA championship status in January 2026, with the inaugural NCAA National Collegiate STUNT Championship scheduled for spring 2027. To learn more, visit STUNTtheSport.org.