STUNT welcomed as 19th MC varsity sport
This year, Maryville College welcomed its 19th varsity sport, STUNT, into its athletics program, and became the first NCAA Division III school in the South to have a competitive team.
“STUNT puts you head to head with other teams. You’re competing on one mat and they’re on the other. You are doing the same routines, and whoever executes it with the most perfection wins,” said Head Coach Jasmin King.
While STUNT itself is derived from cheerleading, there are several differences between the two sports. The focus shifts from sideline performance to more technical and athletic execution. A popular on-campus debate is whether there is a need for STUNT while MC has an active cheer team, but King advocates that there is a great need for both.
“I don’t think STUNT is a traditional sideline sport,” King said. “I think there is obviously athleticism in cheer. If you don’t think it’s athletic, I don’t know what to tell you.”
King explained that STUNT was created because so many people say that sideline cheer is not a sport. Though there is overlap, cheer and STUNT have different goals, and provide students with two different avenues for tumbling and stunt-based athleticism.
For King, the athletic focus of STUNT is key to what makes it valuable as a sport. To her and many of her athletes, STUNT inspires them to learn and grow within the sport. They must push themselves to new heights.
Especially given STUNT’s recent arrival, most girls are starting with a semi-blank slate, King said. But through their hard work and determination, they feel positive they will rise through the ranks of competition.
Yaritzza Summerville (’29), a member of the STUNT team, gave the advice “not [to] be afraid to take the chance. You’re going to do things that are new and uncomfortable, and a lot of people started with no experience.”
STUNT is currently not a widely practiced sport in the South, but King and the team hope to change that.
“STUNT is really big in California, Oklahoma, Missouri. So, I’m hoping Tennessee, which is a very big game day state, transitions to pick it up too,” King said.
King mentions how helpful the MC athletics department has been in helping build up the program, working hard to understand the sport and giving all necessary support to help the team grow. She says they have been crucial in helping STUNT start off strong and get ready for the work ahead.
King also gives credit for STUNT’s rising success to the wonderful team she was able to build.
“I love how highly motivated they are, because I always say at the college level it’s not my job to motivate you, you should already be motivated,” King said. “And I’m so happy that is something I’ve never had to explain to this team.”
But King notes that STUNT is more than just the sport; it is the girls and the community that make them successful.
“I hope they grow to be advocates of the sport,” King said. “and tell their grandchildren what they did here, and that their grandparents were part of the first Division III southern STUNT team.”
The team shares similar sentiments, Jekobia Baldwin (’29) said: “I really like how we are not just a team but also a group outside of our sport. We’re always there for each other and there is so much support.”
As of now, the STUNT team is set for competition in spring of 2026 and is prepared to make this year a successful one for Maryville College’s newest varsity sport.