Glendale, Ariz.- Arizona Christian University Athletics has made the determination to discontinue ACU Acrobatics & Tumbling going forward.

Heading into the 2022 season, Arizona Christian had become the lone NAIA school that was a member of the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA).  Compounded by the small number of NCATA schools in the west and acrobatics & tumbling moving to emerging status and beyond at the NCAA level, there is limited opportunity for ACU to grow in the sport.

"We were not in a position to compete this spring for a variety of circumstances, and that certainly accelerated the conversation regarding our future membership," commented Dr. Peter Dryer- ACU Director of Athletics.  "We are grateful to the NCATA for providing an opportunity for our student-athletes to compete over the past few seasons.  Our student-athletes and teams competed well in our time as members of the association." 

ACU started the acrobatics & tumbling program in 2019.  The Firestorm were 5-11 in three seasons while competing against NCAA Division I, II, and III institutions including the University of Oregon, Baylor, and Hawaii-Pacific.  The program won its first competition against Concordia University of Wisconsin in 2019.  While the past two season have been altered by the COVID pandemic, four of their six meets in 2021 resulted in team high scores capped by a program best at Azusa Pacific in the season finale.  The 2021 season also included wins against East Texas Baptist and Mary Hardin-Baylor.