The Saint Mary’s STUNT team concluded its 2026 season with an appearance at the STUNT national semifinals, taking home fourth place. The team finished with an overall record of 13-14, falling to the George Fox University Bruins by a final score of 24-16 to wrap up the campaign.
The Saint Mary’s STUNT Team is fairly new to the College, with 2026 marking their second official season. In that short time, the STUNT team has already seen significant achievements. The Belles entered the national semifinals as the No. 3 seed and finished fourth. In the first round, they defeated Centenary 16-3, which was followed by a 19-12 loss to George Fox. Thereafter, the Belles picked up momentum with two wins against Maryville and Misericordia before falling to the Bruins once more to close their season.
Junior Erin Monnier, a team captain for the Belles, described the fierce competition as exciting.
“We get to play higher-level routines against George Fox, which makes us wonder if they’re on the right track during games. But while we go through routines, we can only think about ourselves because we can only control what’s happening on our side of the mat,” she said.
A high point of the season was a dominant 22-11 victory over Michigan back on Feb. 15. In the final day of the Valentine’s Tournament hosted by the Belles, Saint Mary’s used an impressive final quarter to knock off the mighty Wolverines. After the first three quarters were back and forth, the Belles scored 11 points across the final frames, including multiple points in all four rounds of the quarter.
The STUNT team also traveled to Oregon earlier in the season to compete against George Fox. Unfortunately, they lost a close game to the eventual national champions by a final score of 23-22 on March 13.
Prior to nationals, the Belles competed at the University of Olivet in Michigan.
“It went really well. We really like all the teams we competed against. They’re so supportive and want to see us succeed. They cheer us on even when we mess up our routines,” Monnier said.
This aspect symbolizes the STUNT community — one that is consistently supportive and encouraging. In fact, Monnier claims that the community is unlike any other sport. “I’ve done cheer, dance, diving and track, so I’ve experienced other sports. I realize that STUNT really is one big family. Now that STUNT is about to become an NCAA sport, I feel like it’s bringing everybody together more. It’s another step in the right direction for STUNT to become the next biggest sport.”
As another successful season for the STUNT team comes to an end, they anticipate another eventful season ahead, consisting of hard work, dedication and an undying sense of team spirit.
