TLU A&T Opens Season Against #1 Baylor with New Program-Highs

SEGUIN, Texas -- The Texas Lutheran Acrobatics and Tumbling team opened their season with a first-time ever matchup against the eight-time defending National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA) Champion and No. 1 ranked, Baylor Bears, in front of a packed Memorial Gymnasium Saturday evening. It was a special matchup not only for the second-year A&T program to welcome the Bears to Seguin, but for TLU coaches Cam Bryant and Sophia Ranni taking on their alma mater for the first time as coaches. The freshman-laiden Bulldogs would drop the meet to the Bears earning a program-high score of 165.290 and the Bears (1-0) earning a total score of 275.325.

The Bulldogs would score a new program-high 23.70 in the compulsory event - including a 7.25 score in the toss and 7.10 in the pyramid in the highest possible value of ten. Baylor outscored the Bulldogs in the compulsory, earning a 38.20 total score.

After the acro event, TLU continued to trail the dominant Bears, with the Bulldogs earning a total score of 18.25 consisting of a 7.00 in the fifth element, 5.35 in the sixth element, and 5.90 in the seventh element. The 18.25 acro mark is also a new program-high.

Baylor would edge out the Bulldogs in the pyramid event, 29.35 to 22.70.

Leading into the half, TLU trailed the first-ranked Bears 96.10 - 64.65.

The Bears took the toss event, with event scores being 27.00 - 21.60.
 
Baylor also took the tumbling event, outscoring TLU 55.275 to 39.900. The tumbling event was highlighted by an 8.1 score in the duo pass from Mackenzie Holland (Colleyville/Grapevine) and Phoenix Cosley (Round Rock/Hendrickson) and Cosley's 9.0 score in the open pass.

TLU competed in the team event for the first time in program history Saturday, earning a 39.14 score for their performance.

Up next, Texas Lutheran travels to Marshall, Texas, for a matchup with the East Texas Baptist Tigers on Saturday, Feb. 10, at 5 PM. All streaming links will be available on tlubulldogs.com.

To stay up to date on all things TLU acrobatics & tumbling, follow the team on Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram: @TLUAcroTumb.