BYU Cheer and Stunt Team complete 2019 season ranked No. 6

PROVO, Utah — The BYU Cheer and Stunt team wrapped up its 2019 competition season in the emerging sport of stunt by competing at Concordia University, in Irvine, California, on March 15-16. The Cougars defeated Vanguard, Concordia–Irvine and Sac State (ranked No. 5), before falling to Cal Poly (No. 4) and Cal Baptist (No. 6), after an injury to BYU co-captain Jenae Hyde versus Cal Poly left BYU short-handed for the final two games.

“The athleticism and poise shown by these women in the face of disaster was quite amazing,” said BYU head cheer coach Jocelyn Allan. “When Jenae went down during the Cal Baptist game they didn’t panic. The team used their available timeouts to quickly revamp the routines and were able to give an incredible effort against two of the best teams in the country.”

BYU finished the 2019 season with a 3-2 record and tied for No. 6 in the nation. The top four teams advance to the 2019 Stunt College National Championship, held May 3-5 at the University of Oklahoma.

“I am so proud of our team and the strength they showed this year in the stunt events,” said Allan. “We really had an amazing season. I love coaching these women and I’m grateful for the way they represent BYU on and off the mat.” 

The NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program is intended to help schools provide more athletics opportunities for women and help university-sponsored teams achieve NCAA championship status. The NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics is charged with identifying and managing progress of emerging sports for women. In the past 21 years, sports such as beach volleyball, rowing, ice hockey, water polo and bowling have become NCAA Championship sports through this program. In late April, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will meet to determine if stunt has met the objective requirements to become an emerging sport, joining current sports equestrian, rugby and triathlon. 

“BYU has one of the strongest and most athletic stunt teams in the country and it was very exciting to see these women be given the opportunity to compete in a sport that is such a natural transition from traditional cheerleading,” said Allan. “I’m excited for the possibility of the sport of Stunt receiving official status later this month by the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program.”

In its effort to meet the NCAA criteria, stunt competitions focus on the technical and athletic components of female cheerleading including partner stunt, pyramids, basket tosses and tumbling. Teams compete in a head-to-head game format on the floor at the same time, so judges and spectators can observe the skill level of each team. Officials regulate games and award points to teams based on execution of predetermined skill sequences. The team that executes the skills best wins the round and the point, and has the opportunity to determine which of routine level will be called next. 

BYU concludes its 2019 season tied for No. 6 nationally in Division I with Cal Baptist behind defending national champion, Oklahoma State, followed by Michigan State, Texas Tech, Cal Poly, and Sacramento State.