Building a Legacy: Inaugural STUNT Team Takes Flight
Inside Montecito Covenant Church Gym, the energy is undeniable, even during just the third practice in program history. Thick mats cover the floor as student-athletes refine precision passes, practice jump sequences and coordinate intricate tosses. For Westmont, this gathering is far more than a routine training session, it represents the unfolding of a historic new chapter in Warrior athletics.
The addition of STUNT, one of the fastest-growing female sports in the nation, arrives at a pivotal time. The NCAA recently voted STUNT in as a national championship sport, and the PacWest Conference now officially sponsors it. For athletic director Robert Ruiz, bringing the sport to campus aligns perfectly with the growth of collegiate athletics and the college’s overarching mission.
“We’ve spent months envisioning what this could look like,” Ruiz told the team while addressing them at practice. “I can’t even begin to explain how much pride we have as a department and how excited we are for you just to be here, to be building something and doing something that no one’s ever done before. You’re Team One. No one else will ever be able to say that.”
To lead the inaugural program, Westmont selected head coach Ariana Johnson. A former head coach at Santa Barbara High School, Johnson felt an immediate alignment with Westmont’s culture and values when discussing the vision for the team with Ruiz. Despite a rapid timeline to recruit, Johnson put together a roster of 18 student-athletes hailing from across California, Arizona and beyond—including four first-generation college students.
“I literally just went into a meeting, and when I sat with Rob and heard the vision of what he hoped for, I just knew in my heart,” Johnson said. “Every recruit was easy to bring in because I believe they were supposed to be here.”
The roster represents a diverse background of cheer, dance and tumbling disciplines, now channeled into a distinct, highly competitive sport. STUNT removes the crowd-leading element of traditional cheerleading, focusing purely on technical skill, athleticism and execution across four quarters: partner stunts, pyramids and tosses, jumps and tumbling, and a combined final routine.
“This sport is thriving and blossoming for women in sports,” Johnson noted. “They take their cheer, dance and tumbling background and put it to an actual sport. They are seen as real athletes and taken seriously.”
Spiritual development and mutual support sit at the heart of the team’s culture. Before hitting the mats, the team pauses for reflection and Scripture to emphasize encouragement and collective strength.
The Warriors will compete in a full official season this spring, hosting games on campus inside Murchison Gym. With the closest neighboring programs located at Cal Poly to the north and various institutions across Los Angeles, Westmont stands as the premier destination for STUNT on the Central Coast.
“Great programs take time,” Ruiz said. “We’re building something that’s unique and special at our institution. I’m hopeful that people will give it a chance, come out, watch games, fill up the gym and support this team as they embark on this historic run.”
Watch a television news story about the STUNT team on News Channel 3-12.