Winning earlier that morning (9-2) against Ottawa University Arizona, St. Edward’s STUNT team took on Dallas Baptist University (DBU) on in their second game of Saturday at 11:15 a.m. This was the first time in Hilltopper Athletics history that the university hosted a STUNT tournament. The girls were amped up and ready to take on the 2024 Lone Star Conference winners.
STUNT stems from cheerleading and has a focus in skill based routines. There are four rounds in a game: partner stunts, pyramids and tosses, jumps and tumbling, and a team routine where they perform a combination of the previous rounds. Both teams perform the same routine side-by-side and are judged based on technique, execution and synchronization.
The Hilltoppers STUNT team is only a few months old, so going up against the five year old DBU team was a challenge. Out of the four rounds, St. Edward’s forfeited two — one because DBU called for a routine level up that St. Edward’s does not yet have, and one to rest the athletes.
“The day started off fantastic. We have to get back in our mindset, which is challenging in a two day competition, but the girls really came together,” head coach Sean Garland said. “We evaluated what we can do against DBU because they have so much more experience than us.”
As a young team, the Hilltoppers can only continue to build their skills and gain experience with each competition, using these early challenges as key opportunities for growth. In their first month of competition, the Hilltoppers have secured a 4-12 overall record, showing their growth and potential along the way.
Despite this being a new program, seniors Jahennessy Parra, Danica Morningstar and Kennedy Johnson spent their last season at the Hilltop helping shape the team and establish a legacy for the younger athletes and incoming recruits.
“It’s a little bittersweet being a senior,” STUNT captain Danica Morningstar said. “I have been here for club sport, cheer and now introducing STUNT, and I’m really excited to see where the program goes. We get better and better every week.”
With the departure of the seniors after this semester, the Hilltoppers are a very young team, mostly made up of freshmen. This allows the athletes new opportunities to grow together and learn from each other to build a strong foundation for the future of STUNT.
“I feel that being a young team as far as the longevity and growing the team is a huge plus,” said Garland. “The seniors and juniors have been fantastic leaders.”
This is just the beginning for the St. Edward’s STUNT team and they are committed to improving their skills and challenging themselves. Next week they face Texas A&M University – Kingsville before the 2025 Lone Star Conference Championship on March 28.
