Acrobatics and Tumbling | 10/13/2026 11:05:00 AM

The National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) has officially announced the 2027 competition schedule, unveiling the upcoming slate for head coach Addy Womeldorph's Golden Knights.

The 2027 campaign marks a historic milestone for acrobatics & tumbling as the sport enters its first season with official NCAA championship status. The NCAA approved the sport's elevation in January 2026, paving the way for the inaugural NCAA National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Championship this spring.

The Golden Knights' seven-meet regular season features four home competitions and three road contests, including matchups against four teams that qualified for the 2026 NCATA National Championships: Iona, Augustana, Duquesne and Fairmont State.

 Gannon looks to build on a successful 2026 campaign that saw the program earn the No. 7 seed in the NCATA National Championships.

"We are incredibly excited to get into the 2027 season officially as an NCAA sport!" said Womeldorph. "Once again, we find ourselves with a schedule that is both challenging and exciting, featuring multiple head-to-head matchups against teams ranked in the top eight nationally. We know the level of competition will push us to grow, and we are excited for the opportunities ahead.

"After finishing last season so strongly, one of my biggest goals for this team is to carry that momentum into 2027 and build our confidence from the very beginning. I want us to believe in ourselves, trust our training, and compete with confidence from the first meet to the last. Of course, our end goal is to have a strong season and qualify for the first-ever NCAA National Championship, and I believe that with this team and schedule, that is highly achievable for us this year."

Gannon opens the season on Wednesday, February 10, traveling to Glenville State for a 6 p.m. matchup. The Golden Knights defeated the then-No. 12 Pioneers 268.495-255.490 last season inside the Highmark Events Center, handing Glenville State its first loss of the season while remaining undefeated at home.

The Golden Knights return to Erie on Tuesday, February 16, for their home opener against West Liberty at 6 p.m. The two programs last met on February 14, 2023, when Gannon earned a 265.480-247.165 road victory over the then- No. 11 Hilltoppers.

Gannon then closes out February with a trip to New Rochelle, N.Y., to face Iona on Saturday, February 27, marking the first head-to-head team meeting between the two programs.

Gannon begins a stretch of three consecutive home meets on Wednesday, March 10, welcoming Augustana to the Highmark Events Center at 6 p.m. The Golden Knights last faced Augustana during the 2025 regular season, falling 262.675-252.920 on the road.

The home slate continues on Sunday, March 21, when Gannon hosts Fairmont State at 2 p.m. The Golden Knights will look to avenge a narrow 271.145-267.550 loss to the then-No. 4 Falcons last season.

Gannon concludes its home schedule on Friday, April 2, hosting Canisius at 6 p.m. The Golden Knights defeated the Golden Griffins 261.565-225.650 in last year's regular-season finale in Buffalo, N.Y., securing their sixth win of the season. The matchup came during Canisius' inaugural season as an acrobatics & tumbling program.

The Golden Knights wrap up the regular season on Thursday, April 8, traveling to Pittsburgh for a 6 p.m. matchup against Duquesne. Gannon defeated the then-No. 7 Dukes 259.755-254.645 in its 2026 home opener, marking Womeldorph's first victory as head coach of the Golden Knights.

Gannon is coming off a 2026 season in which it finished with a 6-4 overall record, including a perfect 5-0 mark at home, and qualified for the NCATA National Championships in Azusa, Calif.

The Golden Knights also advanced to four individual event finals and collected several postseason honors, highlighted by Adyson Rothermel (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser High) earning NCATA Division II Freshman of the Year, Paytyn Neal (Fairmont, W.Va./Fairmont Senior High) receiving First Team All-American honors, and Peyton Oliver (Vallejo, Calif./Jesse M. Bethel) earning Second Team All-American recognition.

The 2027 season will conclude with the inaugural NCAA National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Championship, scheduled for April 22–25, with the host location yet to be announced.

The championship field will expand from eight to 12 qualifying teams, with individual event finals no longer part of the championship format.
 
2027 Gannon Acrobatics & Tumbling Schedule

• February 10 – at Glenville State (Glenville, W.Va.) – 6 p.m.

• February 16 – vs. West Liberty (Erie, Pa.) – 6 p.m.

• February 27 – at Iona (New Rochelle, N.Y.) – 1 p.m.

• March 10 – vs. Augustana (Erie, Pa.) – 6 p.m.

• March 21 – vs. Fairmont State (Erie, Pa.) – 2 p.m.

• April 2 – vs. Canisius (Erie, Pa.) – 6 p.m.

• April 8 – at Duquesne (Pittsburgh, Pa.) – 6 p.m.

• April 22–25 – NCAA National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Championship (Location TBA)