Baylor acrobatics & tumbling, equestrian each ranked No. 1 nationally

Baylor’s men’s and women’s basketball teams have spent most of the winter ranked among the top 5 nationally — but impressively, they’re not even the university’s top-ranked athletic programs right now.

That honor would go to the Baylor acrobatics and tumbling and equestrian squads, each of which is ranked No. 1 in the nation as spring schedules get underway.

That our acrobatics and tumbling program would be ranked No. 1 isn’t much of a surprise; after all, head coach Felicia Mulkey’s team is coming off back-to-back national championships. The Bears received 12 of 13 first-place votes in the A&T preseason poll, with Oregon (who had won the previous four titles before Baylor’s run) claiming the remaining vote.

Meanwhile Baylor equestrian’s current No. 1 ranking is the program’s fourth time at the top since 2011 (including the program’s 2012 national championship). This time, head coach Ellen White’s team took over No. 1 from Texas A&M; Auburn, Oklahoma State and SMU round out the top five.

Acrobatics and tumbling opens the 2017 season in the Ferrell Center this Sunday vs. Quinnipiac, while equestrian heads to California to face SMU and Fresno State before returning home to host Auburn (March 3), the Big 12 Championship (March 24-25) and the NCEA National Championship (April 12-15).

Sic ’em, Bears!