NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- In just their second year of competition, the George Fox STUNT team proved themselves as one of the premier programs in the country, capturing the Division III National Championship thanks to a gritty 9-7 win over Muskingum.

How It Happened
The Bruins faced Muskingum twice for the day, first facing the Muskies in the semifinals. The two teams faced once before, at the inaugural STUNT Tournament in the Pacific Northwest in the Pacific Northwest Open, with the Bruins winning, 16-7 — a fact that Fox was quick to remind the Muskies of as they took a 2-1 lead at the end of the first.

The second quarter was all Bruins, as Fox scored three points to Muskingum in pyramids in tosses. The third proved to be more of the same, with GFU showing they were "ready to tumble" with a 3-1 advantage in the period; headed to the fourth, Fox was up, 8-2.

Though the Muskies tried to fight back, picking up five points in the period, solid execution and a well-placed challenge from the Bruins' coaching on the second routine of the quarter kept Fox well ahead. A final point in the third routine ended the game with a 12-7 George Fox victory, moving them to their first-ever STUNT National Championship game in just their second season of competition.

In the championship, Fox would again face the Muskies — who reached after defeating second-seeded Misericordia in an elimination semifinal, 14-5. 

Once again, Fox took an early 2-1 lead, with the quarter ending with a strategy call, routine number eight being called to end the period — a routine neither team had in their arsenal. In the second, it appeared that the Bruins had taken a commanding 4-1 lead, but a successful Muskingum challenge kept the game well within reach; at the half, the Bruins led, 4-3.

The third quarter was the difference maker, as Fox took command of the game. The Bruins scored three points to the Muskies zeros, staying in sync on their tumbles to take a 7-3 lead into their final quarter.

With the victory within reach, both teams battled to the end. The Muskies picked up an extra point in the first routine of the fourth, closing the gap to 8-6. The two teams split routine four to make the score 9-7, before the Muskies countered with a strategic call — calling routine eight again to double forfeit and send the game to the final routine.

As they have done all season, Reba McLennan, Beth Sanchez, and the entire Bruin staff turned to strategy at the end of the game to ensure the win. Fox called routine seven, a routine they knew Muskinghum did not have. With music playing down on an empty met for the final minute, the Bruins started cheering. The mighty Bruin Nation crowd started roaring.

Final Score: George Fox 9, Muskingum 7.

George Fox STUNT was National Champions.

What It Means
With their win, George Fox captures their first-ever STUNT National Championship in just their second full season; in addition, the Bruins became just the second team to win the D-III Tournament — Alma, the four-time defending D-III Champions who had won every title since the Championship's inception, left the Division for Club play in 2024, meaning that the Bruins are the only D-III team to have won a championship that is still in the division.

While not an NCAA-sanctioned sport, STUNT is classified as NCAA Emerging. The championship gives the university their fifth national championship since 2000: baseball in 2004, women's basketball in 2009, women's track and field in 2018, and women's golf in 2023.

What Happens Next
The Bruins will be back in 2026 to defend their title and look to make it two-for-three in National Championships.