INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Committee on Women's Athletics (CWA) has recommended that all three divisions of the NCAA governance structure add acrobatics and tumbling to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program. If adopted, the sport would join the program Aug. 1, 2020.

The CWA identifies sports to be added to the Emerging Sports for Women program, which is a pipeline supporting the advancement of women's sports to NCAA championship status. The program also provides athletics opportunities for women and sport-sponsorship options for colleges and universities. Schools also may use an emerging sport to help meet membership minimum sports-sponsorship requirements and financial aid requirements.

A sport must have a minimum of 20 varsity teams and/or competitive club teams that have competed in a minimum of five contests to be considered for the emerging sports program. The sport must reach 40 varsity programs to move forward to the NCAA governance structure for championship consideration. Acrobatics & Tumbling currently has 31 sponsored programs for the 2019-2020 school year.

Davis & Elkins College has finished its second year of competition since the program's inception in 2017. The Mountain East Conference has seven institutions that currently sponsor Acrobatics & Tumbling, making it the largest conference in the country for the sport.

"As a former athlete in Acrobatics & Tumbling during the sports' early years, being a coach in the sport during this exciting time is even more rewarding. I chose this profession because of my belief in the sport and (Baylor University Head Coach) Felicia Mulkey's vision for it. I am excited for the growth of Acrobatics & Tumbling and the future for the sport and for the coaches and student-athletes," said Head Coach Shelby Armstrong.