By Marissa Essenburg | Sports Writer
Eleven.
That’s the new magic number for 10-time national champion Baylor acrobatics and tumbling, as the team chases one more national title and one final NCATA crown. This year, the dynasty isn’t just defending a title — it’s writing the last chapter of an era.
When No. 1 Baylor A&T takes the mat, the stakes stretch beyond another banner; it’s a bridge between two eras, as A&T is set to become an NCAA championship sport in 2027.
The Bears enter 2026 chasing their final National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association title, looking to close the era they built the same way they’ve spent the past decade living in it: at the top.
As Baylor begins its pursuit of an 11th straight title, head coach Felecia Mulkey said defending No. 10 does not change the Bears’ mindset, as their focus remains fixed on the work in front of them.
“It doesn’t feel any different than it usually does every year because we kind of start over,” Mulkey said. “Our program has won 10, but this team hasn’t won any. For us, it’s one meet at a time, one day at a time, and we’re developing every day.”
The habits behind the team’s decade of dominance remain at the center — details in practice, clean execution and a standard that does not reset just because the banners already hang in the rafters.
Baylor knows every opponent brings its best shot, but inside the program the emphasis stays on performance rather than the name on the other side.
“People have been getting closer, and that’s what we want, but we are still raising the standard,” Mulkey said. “We’ll be introducing new acros, new pyramids this year. Our team event is silly with difficulty and we want everybody to try to chase us. It makes the sport as a whole better, and it is still happening. And they’ll catch us one day, but it’s not going to be this year.”
With 47 programs actively competing in the 2026 season, acrobatics and tumbling has grown significantly as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, drawing more than 1,300 student-athletes across Divisions I, II and III.
Named the 93rd NCAA championship sport, the designation moves acrobatics and tumbling out of emerging status and paves the way for its first NCAA national title in spring 2027. For a program full of firsts, the Bears will add another: competing for a new crown come next spring.
“I’m excited for the young women that get to experience acrobatics and tumbling and just for the trailblazers that came before,” former Baylor A&T student-athlete Mariah Polk said. “There are some iconic people that came before that deserve to see this thing come to life.”
Not yet a household name nationwide, acrobatics and tumbling often flies under the radar on big-time campuses, overshadowed by football crowds and basketball arenas. At Baylor, though, Mulkey has always treated the program like the championship contender it is.
“We weren’t an NCAA sport until a few weeks ago, but we’ve always been treated like one here [at Baylor],” Mulkey said. “That’s what makes this so special. For us, it’s cool to get here, but we’ve felt special since day one.”
That sense of distinction starts at the top with Mulkey, a coach athletes describe as both brilliant and inspiring.
“Baylor is really special to me, this coaching staff is special to me,” senior base and tumbler Meredith Wells said. “Coach Fee is a great leader and someone I really look up to, not just in acro but just as a human being. While she’s probably the smartest person I know, she’s also an amazing person.”
With one more black and red banner on the line for the Ferrell Center rafters this season, the Bears head into Friday’s opener carrying sky-high expectations.
“I’ve been watching [this sport] since I was a kid, and now to be a part of it with one of the coaches that started it is incredible,” junior top and tumbler Payton Washington said. “And to see where it’s going to grow to, I’m excited for this season and all that is to come.”
Entering its 15th season as a founding member varsity sport, Baylor A&T will take the mat at 6 p.m. Friday for its final season under the NCATA against No. 11 St. Leo in Florida.
