Release courtesy of Caldwell University Sports Information
CALDWELL, N.J. — Caldwell University Athletics has announced the addition of Acrobatics & Tumbling as an intercollegiate sport for the 2021-22 academic year, increasing its varsity sports opportunities to 17. Caldwell becomes the first institution in the state of New Jersey to add Acrobatics & Tumbling as a varsity sport.
“We are excited to be sponsoring Acrobatics and Tumbling as a varsity sport at Caldwell University in 2021-22,” said Caldwell University President Matthew Whelan. “Recently designated as an emerging sport by the NCAA, Acrobatics and Tumbling currently has over three million young women involved in club and high school programs. This market will open doors to a whole new generation of women who can benefit from our Catholic, Dominican education and increase participation opportunities for women in our NCAA programs.”
The new sport will compete in the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) and competition at Caldwell will begin during Spring 2022. Caldwell becomes the 35th NCAA school and the 37th collegiate institution to sponsor Acrobatics and Tumbling as a varsity sport.
“We are extremely excited to add women’s Acrobatics and Tumbling to our sport sponsorship at Caldwell University,” said Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Mark A. Corino. “We are looking forward to joining our NCAA partners to add this emerging sport as the only higher education institution in the state of New Jersey with Acrobatics and Tumbling. With this addition of our 17th varsity program, the Athletics Department is excited and enthusiastic about continuing to play a major role in the expansion of our university.”
Part of the mission of Caldwell Athletics is to provide a quality academic and athletic experience in order to meet the diverse needs of its student-athletes. Through the sponsorship of a wide variety of intercollegiate programs, appropriate academic counseling and advisement, as well as social support activities, the department strives to ensure the academic, athletic, social, physical and emotional growth of each individual student athlete. The addition of Acrobatics and Tumbling is part of this growth process for the university and meets the Caldwell University 2020-2023: Protecting the Legacy – Shaping the Future strategic goal of increasing enrollment at the institution through the sponsoring of additional varsity programs.
Dr. Renee Baumgartner, NCATA President said, “We are excited to welcome Caldwell University to the NCATA family, and are appreciative of their thoughtful and diligent process as they considered adding Acrobatics & Tumbling. Caldwell is our first member in New Jersey and continues recent expansion of Acrobatics & Tumbling programs in the northeast.”
Janell Cook, NCATA Executive Director said, “Each new program means unique opportunities for young women to compete at the collegiate level. For gymnasts and cheerleaders in New Jersey and the surrounding areas, this is exciting news! Overall, we are encouraged by the continued interest in adding Acrobatics & Tumbling programs, especially during such a challenging time for colleges and universities.”
Acrobatics & Tumbling was added to the NCAA emerging sports list in August 2020 after receiving backing from the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics in 2019. Caldwell becomes the 37th institution nationwide to offer the sport, the 26th in NCAA Division II, and the first in the state of New Jersey.
Acrobatics and tumbling is the evolution of different disciplines of gymnastics, which includes the athletic aspects of competitive cheerleading. The format was created at the collegiate level to address the interest and abilities of young women competing in this skill set. Individuals and small groups execute acrobatic lifts, tosses, and tumbling. Meets include six events, all of which are competed on the floor and in varying group sizes.
Caldwell Athletics continues its growth phase as the university has added seven new programs since the start of the 2013-14 year. The university added women’s lacrosse for the 2013-14 academic year, followed by men’s cross country and track and field along with women’s bowling in 2014-15. Sprint football completed its inaugural season in 2017-18 with men’s lacrosse starting competition in 2019-20.
Caldwell will begin its search for a full-time head coach immediately and will have recruitment forms available for high school acrobatics and tumbling participants who seek to join the new program this coming fall.
Any applicants interested in applying for the head coach position should click here.
All prospective Acrobatics and Tumbling student-athletes can complete their recruitment form by clicking here.
For additional information on the acrobatic and tumbling program, please email [email protected].