At the 2026 NCAA Convention in the Washington, D.C., area, acrobatics and tumbling, stunt, Division II bowling and Division III women’s wrestling were voted to become NCAA Championships, while flag football entered the Emerging Sports for Women program.
This is the first time four championships have been added at one NCAA Convention, representing the meteoric rise of emerging women’s sports at the NCAA level.
“We are thrilled to add four new women’s championships to the NCAA. This moment reflects the growth of college sports, as schools continue to provide a record number of scholarships and opportunities across the NCAA. By expanding championship opportunities, we celebrate the remarkable momentum of women’s sports, ensuring more student-athletes have the chance to compete for national titles, represent their institutions and inspire future generations,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said.
What are emerging sports?
An emerging sport is a women’s sport recognized by the NCAA that is intended to help schools provide more athletics opportunities for women and more sport-sponsorship options for institutions, while helping that sport achieve NCAA Championship status.
Since the creation of the Emerging Sports for Women program in 1994, eight sports have become championship sports: beach volleyball, rowing, ice hockey, water polo, bowling, wrestling, stunt and acrobatics and tumbling.
Emerging sports by the numbers
- Over 30% of women’s championship sports have been created through the Emerging Sports for Women program.
- 20% increase in sponsorship and participation in emerging sports in 2024-25.
- Nearly 7,000 student-athletes across all three divisions competed in emerging sports in 2024-25.
Overall NCAA growth
- Increase of more than 15,000 student-athletes across all three divisions in 2024-25, according to the NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates database.
- In 2024-25, there were increases in participation for:
- More than 5,500 student-athletes in Division I.
- Nearly 4,000 student-athletes in Division II.
- Nearly 6,000 student-athletes in Division III.
- Financially, $4 billion in scholarships were awarded last year alone.
- The NCAA eliminated limits on scholarships for the upcoming seasons, so more student-athletes will have college paid for than ever before.
Learn more about the newly added sports below:
Acrobatics and tumbling
The basics: Acrobatics and tumbling is a fast-paced, team-based discipline in which athletes perform a series of synchronized skills in events such as acrobatics, pyramid, toss, tumbling and team routines.
Teams compete head-to-head, executing skills at various levels of difficulty based on each team’s strengths.
The growth: Acrobatics and tumbling became an emerging sport in August 2020, quickly growing its NCAA sponsorship from 27 schools in the 2020-21 academic year to more than 40 in 2023-24.
Competition format:
- Teams participate in six to 10 meets throughout the year. Each meet involves two to three teams.
- Meets feature six events, totaling 20 heats, that typically span 90 to 120 minutes.
- Skills are scored on difficulty and execution.
- Start values are listed in the Code of Points and determined by the difficulty of each skill. Skills are scored on execution and totaled by event, similar to a track and field meet.
Average roster size:
- Division I: 36 student-athletes.
- Division II: 28 student-athletes.
- Division III: 20 student-athletes.
Championship setup:
- The tournament features eight teams in a single-elimination format.
- In each of 15 event final heats, five individuals/groups qualify.
Inaugural championship: Spring 2027.
To learn more about acrobatics and tumbling, visit thencata.org.
Stunt
The basics: Stunt transforms traditional cheerleading skills into a head-to-head, four-quarter format emphasizing athleticism and precision.
The growth: Stunt’s growth has been rapid across the NCAA, crossing the benchmark of 40 schools in its first year as an emerging sport in all three divisions.
Competition format:
- Games consist of two teams competing throughout four quarters — partner stunts, pyramids and tosses, jumps and tumbling and team routine.
- At the beginning of each season, the national governing body sends out 12 routines for teams to master, with 12 routines rolling over from the previous year.
- In competition, coaches will call out plays, and the opposing team can accept or pass on the play call.
- Teams compete in partner stunts, pyramids, jumps and tumbling.
- Points and scoring are execution-based.
- The team with the best execution wins the point for that round.
- The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Average roster size:
- Division I: 35 student-athletes.
- Division II: 32 student-athletes.
- Division III: 20 student-athletes.
Championship setup:
- Championships are conducted through a double-elimination tournament structure, and games require only existing gymnasium space.
Inaugural championship: Spring 2027.
To learn more about stunt, visit stuntthesport.org.
Division II bowling
Division II bowling will become an NCAA championship after representatives approved the recommendation this week at the NCAA Convention.
The why: The Division II schools that sponsor bowling held a strong preference for competing in and winning a Division II championship, as opposed to a National Collegiate championship. As of the 2023-24 academic year, 38 Division II schools sponsored bowling, which triggered a review.
Inaugural championship: Spring 2028.
Division III women’s wrestling
Division III women’s wrestling will become an NCAA championship after representatives approved the recommendation this week at the 2026 NCAA Convention.
The why: Division III accounts for more than half of all NCAA schools sponsoring women’s wrestling, with 55 Division III schools sponsoring the sport. A separate championship will provide an avenue for Division III student-athletes to compete against those in similar programs, consistent with the division’s philosophy.
Until the Division III championship is held, DIII schools will compete against Division I and II schools. The inaugural NCAA women’s wrestling championship will be held this spring.
Inaugural DIII championship: Spring 2028.
To learn more about women’s wrestling, visit themat.com or wrestlelikeagirl.org.
Flag football
Flag football has been added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, effective immediately, after representatives from all three NCAA divisions approved the recommendation this week at the 2026 NCAA Convention.
The growth: Flag football has been one of the fastest-growing sports in the country at the youth, high school and collegiate levels. The sport’s momentum includes being added as a sport for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
By the numbers:
- As of summer 2025, NCAA sports sponsorship data showed that at least 40 NCAA schools planned to sponsor flag football at the varsity level in the 2025-26 academic year.
- Additional tracking from sport leaders anticipates as many as 60 schools could participate this spring. The NCAA expects sponsorship to continue to increase.
To become a championship: Flag football must reach a minimum of 40 schools sponsoring the sport at the varsity level — and meet minimum contest and participation requirements (as reflected in the NCAA Sports Sponsorship and Participation Rates Database) — to be considered for championship status.
Next steps: Flag football’s immediate addition to the program means schools sponsoring the sport this spring can count toward the 40-school threshold required to establish a National Collegiate Championship.
More legislative details are available in this document.
