COSTA MESA --  The world of collegiate STUNT is in a state of excitement not seen in the years since the organization made its landfall.  The announcement that the sport was awarded an official NCAA Championship in January has put STUNT on a permanent stage, accelerating growth that already saw numerous schools add the discipline, while plenty of club teams have now moved to active status in athletic departments.  Two more schools in the Pacific West Conference, Fresno Pacific and Hawaii Pacific, begin their STUNT journeys in 2026, and at least one more, Westmont, arrives next school year.  Vanguard is entering year nine of STUNT participation but is facing a first, as the team welcomes its second head coach in program history. Salonia Harper joined Vanguard this summer and is ready for her first matches as a collegiate coach, and her Lions open the 2026 slate at the Hope International Royal Rumble this weekend, so read on to learn more about the Blue and Gold.
 
Coach Harper has playing and coaching experience at Vanguard, and coached at a high school in Northern California the past few years.  Now, back in familiar territory, Harper is pleased to have another familiar face join her side.  Fellow Vanguard graduate Dakota Pittenger has returned as an assistant coach and brings more playoff proficiency to the table.  Harper was a senior and Pittenger was a junior when the Lions won the NAIA Division STUNT Championship in 2021, and Harper became an assistant coach at VU the following year.   The pair bring that championship experience to every practice and match and have set high expectations for this team of mixed veterancy.  The coaches have been trying to mold 11 freshmen with 21 returners to create a unit that can go toe-to-toe with the best of NCAA DII STUNT.  That means the team might have to go to the ceiling in each quarter.

"The girls are very hungry and willing to listen, willing to learn," relayed Coach Harper.  "Dakota has been helpful with that and getting the team to pick up these higher skills.  I'm super excited to debut our parter set eight and pyramid eight here.  It will be nice to finally see that and see all the hard work that they've done in the fall come to fruition."
The skipper also expressed her pleasure in the growth in other areas by the Lions entering the campaign. 

"I got told that we weren't strong in partner stunts and pyramids last season, and that has shifted," she offered.  "We are pretty strong in pyramids and partner stunts, though we are lacking a little bit in the jumps and tumbling section.  But that's OK!  We ebb and flow, and it is going to be fine."

"I think this year, you will be able to see some levels that they haven't really touched previously."

Vanguard has been a STUNT National Championship in all but two seasons and went 2-2 in 2025, beating CUI and Dallas Baptist, but falling to Oklahoma Baptist and Davenport.  That handed the Lions an 8-13 season, but a rebound should be in order.

"Nationals is definitely the goal," relayed Harper.  But I really want them to go into each game really feeling accomplished.  I feel that the record will pan out to what it is, but I also feel when we do get to that national point and try to move up in the ranks, we'll really be going for that second or third spot.  I feel like it is really attainable for them."


By Position:
Backspot
The Blue and Gold have Isabella Long as the lone senior of the group, and she is one of the leaders on the team on and off the mat.  Behind her are sophomores Salma Guzman, Sierra Godoy, and Lauryn Harris, while Emily Rostomian, Kendall Williams, and Shevon McKnight are the new additions for Vanguard in this group.  As they work with the bases to help give stability and power during partner stunts and pyramids, there is lots that will be asked of this troupe, but they will be ready.

Bases
There is a strong core of senior bases across the various spotting points in any formation, with Brooke Harris, Alexandra Gamez, Jolie Yniguez, Jasmine Bernal, and Destanie Saunders guiding the Blue and Gold as elders of the position.  While there are no juniors in this grouping, the sophomores are well represented by Nyra Portillo, Amaya Montero, and Alexis Baldenegro.  New to the VU corps are freshmen Jayleen Fuentes, Ella Stewart, Ahmya Carter, and Morgan Looper.  As with the backspots, look for all of these players to jump on as the routines churn throughout the season, as their strength is needed.

Mid
The middle position on the pyramids is a crucial spot as Vanguard pushes to add the hardest routines, and there is a spectrum of new and returning talent for the role.  Juniors Kaitlyn Adsit and Cienna Laird have the most experience, with sophomores Noelia Roho and Isabella Hernandez up next.  Emma Lopez and Sophia Lopez are on the lineup sheet as freshmen.

Flyer
Pacing the group is Isabella Villarreal, who enters her fourth year at VU as one of the few who sails through the air with plenty of trust in those below her.  Laird and Hernandez fit in here, too, while Caitlyn Roeder is another sophomore who will be tossed high inside the Freed Center.  Delilah Flores and Kendyl Arts are searching for their first chance to be seen atop the VU formations, though they have been learning fast.

Tumblers
Hailey Spaich stands as the lone Lion listed solely as a tumbler, and she could be in every routine as a sophomore in the third quarter.  Casey Clements is a junior whose main role is a tumbler, though she also stands in at the base position as needed.  Other multi-role players who can be seen in quarter three include Saunders, Stewart, Hernandez, Laird, Emma Lopez, Sophia Lopez, and Adsit. 
 
Vanguard begins the season at the HIU Royal Rumble, with matches against Grand Canyon and UC Davis tomorrow and Northwest Nazarene (coached by VU alumnus Brenna Higdon) and Trevecca Nazarene on Saturday.  A week later, the Blue and Gold are at home for matches against Cal Poly SLO and Jessup that start at 10:00 a.m.  Four days later, CUI arrives for a single match at 7:00 p.m., with CBU arriving on the 24th for another 7:00 p.m. contest.

The Jessup Tournament has the Blue and Gold pegged against the new team out of Fresno Pacific on March 5, with games against Kentucky and the hosting Warriors slated for the sixth.  The event for Vanguard ends against Cal Poly and NNU on March 7.  Cal Baptist hosts the Joust again in 2026, and VU has been invited for the first time.  The Blue and Gold face another new program, as they take on the Sharks of Hawaii Pacific on March 13 to begin the competition, with matches against Arizona Christian and Arizona State following that.

The home portion of the slate ends with UC Davis and FPU coming to the Freed Center on March 28, with a final bout against CUI on March 31 taking the Lions into the West Tournament hosted by Fresno Pacific beginning April 2. 

"I think [the West Tournament] is going to be awesome.  We're really just trying to pioneer what it would look like when it does come to the 2027 version.  But I think everyone's pretty excited, obviously competitively, but really just hoping for success with the girls," said Coach Harper.

She continued, "I'm really big on relationships, so forming those relationships with other teams.  And we're all trying to head to the same goal.  We want to make the sport accessible for everyone.  So, yeah, really excited for that."

A final trip to CBU on April 8 concludes the regular season for VU, as they then have to see if they did enough to make the STUNT National Championships, which happen April 23-26 at Lipscomb University near Nashville, Tennessee.  But there is a lot more in the Freed Center than in previous years to see before the 2026 roster competes for STUNT glory.  The six home games are the most in program history, and there should be plenty of exciting matches that you should plan on attending.

"I feel like it's a new, energetic environment," stated Harper.  "I feel like a lot of the girls are really excited, and I think you all will be able to see some really cool things from them that you haven't been able to see in the past.  So, just come out and support."

Mark your calendars now and get on the count with VU STUNT.