By
on November 7, 2014
Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse University, one of the most prestigious college basketball programs in the country, will play an exhibition game against Adrian (Mich.) College because of acrobatic tumbling.
That's correct. Monday night's exhibition game between Syracuse and Adrian at the Carrier Dome is the result of the emerging sport of acrobatic tumbling.
Four years ago, Adrian College president Dr. Jeffrey Docking was looking to increase his school's enrollment through athletics. Adrian officials, including athletic director Mike Duffy, began looking at acrobatic tumbling.
Duffy turned to Renee Baumgartner, Syracuse's deputy director athletics who is also the president of the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association. Baumgartner became involved in the sport when she worked at the University of Oregon, which fielded a tumbling team.
"She was very instrumental in us starting acrobatic tumbling,'' Duffy said of Baumgartner. "We now have 18 girls on the tumbling team.''
Adrian College is one of 13 schools with acrobatics and tumbling teams. Adrian, which has an enrollment of just 1,700 students, added tumbling to a long list of athletic teams. Adrian plays 14 men's sports and 18 women's sports.
In addition to the more mainstream sports such as football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse and hockey, Adrian boasts bowling and bass fishing teams for men plus equestrian and synchronized skating for women.
"It's a really cool institution,'' Baumgartner said.
Two years ago, Duffy, Baumgartner and Dr. Docking reunited at the NCAA's annual convention.
"We got to talking and I said, 'It would be fun to play a big school in basketball,''' Duffy said. "I was thinking about the exposure for the school and our program.''
Baumgartner put Adrian on a list of potential opponents for exhibition games prior to the regular season. This past spring, the schools agreed on a game.
In order to play Syracuse, Adrian officials had to cancel an exhibition with Central Michigan because the NCAA allows Division III schools to play only one exhibition per year.
"I'm the culprit that got us into this mess,'' Duffy said. "But what a great opportunity for the kids. They get to play in the Carrier Dome, against Jim Boeheim and his great program. It will be an experience they'll remember for a lifetime.''