GREENVILLE, S.C. – The acrobatics & tumbling coaches have picked Lander University as champions in the 2026 Conference Carolinas Acrobatics & Tumbling Preseason Poll, the conference office announced on Wednesday.
Lander received 75 points and five first place votes to edge Coker University’s 68 points and two first place votes in second place. Mars Hill University and Wingate University weren’t far behind in third and fourth, respectively. Mars Hill earned 64 points and one first place vote while Wingate earned the final two first place votes and 63 points.
The University of Montevallo (49), Converse University (35), Belmont Abbey College (34), Francis Marion University (29), King University (24) and Newberry College (9) rounded out the poll.
The 2026 Conference Carolinas Acrobatics & Tumbling Championship starts with quarterfinal meets on campus sites on Tuesday, April 7. The semifinals will take place in the Shaw Athletic Center at Emmanuel University in Franklin Springs, Georgia on Saturday, April 11. The championship concludes on Sunday, April 12 with the event finals and the championship meet in Franklin Springs.
The preseason poll was voted on by the league's head coaches and they can't vote for their own school.
2026 Conference Carolinas
Acrobatics & Tumbling Preseason Poll
|
School |
Votes (first place) |
| 1 |
Lander |
75 (5) |
| 2 |
Coker |
68 (2) |
| 3 |
Mars Hill |
64 (1) |
| 4 |
Wingate |
63 (2) |
| 5 |
Montevallo |
49 |
| 6 |
Converse |
35 |
| 7 |
Belmont Abbey |
34 |
| 8 |
Francis Marion |
29 |
| 9 |
King |
24 |
| 10 |
Newberry |
9 |
2026 Conference Carolinas Acrobatics & Tumbling
Players to Watch
Belmont Abbey
- Isabella Schrout, Sr., Top, Morgantown, West Virginia
- Sadie Hunt, Jr., Base/Tumbler, Chesterfield, Michigan
- Tia Fluellen, So., Tumbler, Marietta, Georgia
Coker
- Anna Kate Barrier, Jr., Tumble/Top, McKinney, Texas
- Chole Hull, Sr., Tumble/Base, Clover, South Carolina
- Olivia Sison, Sr., Tumble/Top, Yardley, Pennsylvania
Converse
- Kendra Bryan, So., Rock Hill, South Carolina
- Madison Seymour, Jr., Lockport, Illinois (2024 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year)
- Kaylah Belle Danjczek, Jr., Berryville, Virginia
Francis Marion
- Destiny Keve, So., Base/Top/Tumbler, Lake City, South Carolina (2025 second team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Eilee Gonzales, Jr., Base/Top/Tumbler, Copperas Cove, Texas
- Keirstyn Rogers, Jr., Base/Tumbler, Sumter, South Carolina
King
- Caroline Etter, Sr., Zionsville, Indiana (2025 second team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Kate McCracken, So., Hickory, North Carolina
- Anna Sonnichsen, Fr., Kennewick, Washington
Lander
- Cayden Groome, Jr., Base/Tumbler, North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, (2025 second team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Ashlyn Shively, Jr., Top/Tumbler, Pinehurst, North Carolina, (2025 second team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Morgan Axiotis, Jr., Top/Tumbler, Jacksonville, Florida
Mars Hill
- Kerry Hampson, Sr., Base/Mid, Wexford, Ireland
- Zoey Franklin, Jr., Top/Tumbler, Rome, Georgia, (2025 first team All-Conference Carolinas)
- Reese Goldberg, So., Base/Tumbler, Signal Mountain, Tennessee
Montevallo
- Lexie Cole, So., Tumbler/Top, Fort Myers, Florida
- Rilyn McAllister, So., Base/Tumbler, Alexandria, Virginia
- Katie Quinn, So., Tumbler/Top, Bend, Oregon
Newberry
- Makayla Brown, So., Top/Tumbler, Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Emily Sessions, Fr., Base, Lexington, South Carolina
- Hannah Ghaly, Sr., Top/Tumbler, Albany, New York
Wingate
- Emeri Echols, Fr., Top/Tumbler, Rex, Georgia
- Abigayle Heney, So., Top/Tumbler, Troutman, North Carolina (2025 Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year)
- Brooke Spurway, So., Base/Tumbler, Okotoks, Alberta, Canada (2025 first team All-Conference Carolinas)