FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The  Gannon University acrobatics and tumbling team will always be able to look back at the 2024 season and remember its strong finish.
 
In the national championship meet on Saturday night, the Golden Knights closed strongly yet again as they won the final event – the Team Event – against No. 1 Baylor at Fairmont State University's Feaster Center.
 
It was not enough to give coach Brandy Duren's Knights their first national title, but Division II Gannon showed it could compete with the powerful Division I Bears on NCATA's biggest stage.

Baylor claimed its ninth consecutive NCATA national title, as Gannon was able to come within three points in Baylor's 272.220-269.315 win – a feat very few programs have accomplished. In addition to winning their ninth title in row, the Bears won their 37th consecutive meet while finishing the season 11-0.

 

Here's the end of Gannon's Team Event performance. The Golden Knights and their fans are fired up! ?@GannonU? ?@theNCATA? pic.twitter.com/eZ8hae4g33

— Gannon Athletics (@GUKnights) April 27, 2024

 
Gannon was the national runner-up for the second time in its program's history after facing Baylor in the 2022 championship meet. Duren was an assistant coach on that team before becoming the head coach before the 2023 season. A large and loud Gannon crowd was on hand on Saturday to cheer for the Golden Knights.
 
Saturday's performance by the Golden Knights capped an unforgettable run through the NCATA Championships during which Gannon beat No. 6 Azusa Pacific decisively in the quarterfinals and then claimed a memorable comeback win over No. 2 Quinnipiac in the semifinals.
 
Gannon closed the season with an 8-3 record, but the Knights' only losses came to the No. 1 and 2 teams in the country. Baylor topped Gannon twice, and Quinnipiac had beaten Gannon in the regular-season finale before the Knights avenged the loss on Friday night. Six of Gannon's eight wins came against Top-10 teams.
 
Meanwhile, Duren showed her former coach, NCATA legend Felecia Mulkey, that her Gannon team could stay close with the Bears. Duren was a member of Oregon's team when Mulkey was the head coach there as the Ducks won four consecutive national titles. Mulkey has now won nine straight with the Bears, giving her 13 total national championships. That represents every title the sport has had.
 
Gannon stayed close with Baylor throughout Saturday evening. Baylor won the Compulsory event 38.275-37.850, and then claimed the Acro event by a narrow 29.600-29.175 margin. Gannon turned in a strong performance in the Pyramid as the Bears edged the Knights 29.525- 29.350 to take a 97.400-96.375 halftime lead.

 

Gannon in the synchronized toss!@GUKnights pic.twitter.com/gIzFzv6eGi

— NCATA (@theNCATA) April 27, 2024

 
Gannon opened the second half with another solid performance as Baylor won the Toss event 29.050-28.800. The Bears then excelled in the Tumbling, winning 57.000-55.050 to take a   183.450-180.225 lead into the final event.
Gannon turned in a tremendous performance in the Team Event, compiling a score of 89.090 to Baylor's 88.770. That cut the final margin to within three points, but Baylor raised the NCATA trophy once again.
 
The Golden Knights will compete in the national event finals on Sunday, beginning at 11 a.m., as they try to bring home event national championships. Gannon won the Synchronized Toss and Open Toss titles in 2023.