Three-Peat! Baylor A&T claims third straight national title

Last year, Baylor’s acrobatics & tumbling team did something no Baylor team had ever done before — win back-to-back national championships. This year, they’ve beaten their own record, bringing home a third straight national title!

Baylor A&T accomplished that historic feat by upending top-seeded Oregon in the NCATA National Championships in Azusa, Calif., on Saturday night. The win was especially sweet for the Bears, who lost their only meet of the year at Oregon in February; Baylor had bounced back to beat the Ducks in Waco on April 2, then defeated them again for the title. In the final, the Bears actually trailed after the first four events, before coming back to win the closest of their three national championship meets (279.350-275.625).

The victory continues an astounding run for Baylor A&T head coach Felecia Mulkey, whose influence on the sport is unmatched. Acrobatics and tumbling was organized in its current form by the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) in 2010-11; the association has overseen seven seasons since then, and Mulkey has been the championship winning coach for each of those six teams — first at Oregon from 2011-14, and now at Baylor for the last three.

The title was the seventh varsity athletic team national title in Baylor history, with A&T’s three-year run (2015-2017) preceded by national championships in men’s tennis (2004), women’s basketball (2005 & 2012) and equestrian (2012).

Sic ’em, Baylor Acrobatics & Tumbling!