NAMPA, Idaho - The PacWest Conference has announced the addition of Northwest Nazarene and Fresno Pacific as affiliate members for the 2027 STUNT season.
"Joining the PacWest will really push us to step up and compete with the best of the best. We're so excited to be joining a conference with such incredibly skilled coaches and athletes."
- Kelli Rich, NNU STUNT Head Coach
NNU is a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) in every sport except men's lacrosse where they are an affiliate member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).
"The PacWest Conference is pleased to welcome Northwest Nazarene University and Fresno Pacific University as affiliate members in STUNT as we launch the sport as a conference championship. Both institutions bring traditions of excellence and commitment to student-athlete success which make them a great fit for the PacWest, we're excited to have them help strengthen and grow STUNT within the conference."- Brad Jones, PacWest Commissioner
Northwest Nazarene is entering their second year as a program and finished 4-12 in their first year of competition. They saw wins over Grand Canyon (Ariz.), Saint Mary's (Ind.), George Fox (Ore.), and Hawaii Pacific.
"We're excited to join the PacWest Conference as an affiliate member in STUNT. This opportunity aligns with our commitment to providing an outstanding student-athlete experience and positions our program for continued growth and success."
- Paul Rush, NNU Director of Athletics
STUNT, one of the fastest growing female sports in the country, incorporates the technical and athletic components of cheer, in which teams perform short routines to compete against opponents. In a typical STUNT competition, four quarters are played that include partner stunts, pyramids and tosses, jumps & tumbling, and a team routine.
There are currently 28 NCAA Division II schools across the country that offer the sport of STUNT, with more coming on board in 2027. STUNT was added as a championship sport with the NCAA this past January and they will host the first NCAA Collegiate National Championship in the spring of 2027.
The PacWest will hold their conference championships in STUNT March 26-27 at Concordia University Irvine.
