NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Missouri State STUNT (17-14) beat Mercyhurst and has advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2026 College STUNT National Championship hosted by Lipscomb University this weekend.

"The team had a strong first quarter but seemed to get a little too comfortable after that, losing points they shouldn't have," said head coach Kennedy Wingbermuehle.

"The game was too close for comfort, but I was proud of them for finishing strong. We will have a tough first game tomorrow as we move on to the next game in the winners bracket, but we are looking forward to getting some levels on the floor before the second one."

The Bears now face the first seeds Cal Baptist tomorrow at 10:20 a.m. for a chance to proceed to the semi-finals.

Game One
Missouri State 28, Mercyhurst 27
The Bears opened the championship with a nail-biting win over Mercyhurst. The Bears were the first to assert themselves in the first quarter of partner student earning seven points to the Lakers' three. The Lakers then fought back in the pyramids and tosses earning four points to the Bears' two. In the third quarter of jumps and tumbling, both teams fought tooth and nail to gain five points each. The Bears managed to keep their nose in front and earn their ticket to the quarterfinals in the fourth quarter of the team routines with 14 points earned to the Lakers' 15.