The equestrian team at University of California, Davis, will be downgraded to club status to open an NCAA varsity slot for the sport known as stunt, the university has announced.
The decision to elevate stunt in the 2026-’27 academic year took into account “several sport-specific realities,” said the Jan. 9 announcement from the school’s athletic department.
“Since 1998, Equestrian has been classified as an NCAA Emerging Sport, without a defined pathway toward NCAA championship sponsorship or expansion in Division I participation,” it said. “Conversely, STUNT is now an NCAA Championship-sponsored sport, offering a more stable regional and nationally aligned competitive structure.”
Stunt is an offshoot of cheerleading in which teams perform acrobatic routines involving tumbling, pyramids and throws.
Noting the rapid growth of collegiate stunt programs, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics last year recommended that a national championship be added for the sport in the 2026-’27 year.
At Davis, equestrian is a women’s sport, with 33 athletes on this year’s roster. It is one of only 14 Division I schools that sponsor a dual-discipline (English and Western) equestrian team. In California, the only other one is Fresno State.
Davis said sport-related financial aid for the equestrians will be maintained through the completion of their undergraduate degrees.
The team is circulating a petition asking the athletic department to reconsider the decision.