The Ashland University STUNT team is looking to kickstart its season when they travel to Kentucky from Saturday Feb. 1 to Sunday Feb. 2.
The teams’ season looks very promising as the team went 18-1 overall and 9-1 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) while also winning their second straight conference title during their 2024 campaign.
“Yeah, last season was amazing, we went even further than we expected. Turning that around and looking towards this season,” Head Coach Denise Farnsworth said.
After dominating the conference, the team concluded their national’s trip with their first national win in program history against Trevecca Nazarene.
The team is now entering the 2025 season with fewer familiar faces.
“We lost a lot of people. It’s going to look a little different this year, but I still think it’s going to be very competitive and you’re going to see a lot of different faces on the mat,” Farnsworth said.
Despite a few unfamiliar faces, the team has been working hard to reclaim their title and begin the season with a bang.
“The team has been doing great training-wise, especially since coming back from break you could tell there’s been a shift in the attitudes and we’re ready for game day,” senior Meghan Ferrante said.
The team has been progressing at bettering each routine and partner stunts.
“Looking at just getting in the beginning first. Routines on the mat that were clean and stable, and now we’re pushing this season. Having pyramids 1 through 6 being good at and then starting at 7 now Pyramids 8 and partner stunts.” Farnsworth said.”
There’s also an emphasis on minimizing injuries in a sport where they are prevalent.
“We’ve become more confident. Skills, but also the kids who are our spotters, we’ve really trained our spotters better to minimize the amount of injuries that we have on a daily practice. So that looks totally different as well,” Farnsworth said.
Outside of the mat, the team expresses their biggest strengths being leadership, especially with newer faces joining the team.
“…I’m flyer and tumbling and like with flying I’m in partners that routines and then pyramids as a mid-layer and the experts having the past three years and showing the younger girls what I have learned,” said senior Alyssa McLaughlin.
“Being a Great teammate serving and leading with commitment positive attitude passion and discipline are the core values of the team,” added Ferrante.
To further serve the team’s success, new renovations have been made to their practice facilities located in Conrad Fieldhouse.
“The new renovations have been such a blessing for our program practices have been run so much more smoothly the locker room is an environment that we never imagined having but are so grateful for and having all these resources really just helps us have all the time and things we need to perform at our best level, “said Ferrante.
The Eagles enter the Great Midwest preseason polls being ranked No.2.
The Eagles will begin their season on Feb. 1 against Northern Kentucky and Missouri Baptist in Lexington Kentucky.
