FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- The Fairmont State acrobatics and tumbling team has been ranked eighth as announced by The National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association on Monday, January 31st.

The Fighting Falcons finished 2021 on top of the Mountain East Conference after successfully defending its 2019 Acrobatics & Tumbling Championship on April 10th, 2021. Fifth-year senior Alexis Smith returns to the Falcon rotation as she was named to NCATA All-American Team and was also named the MEC Acrobatics and Tumbling Athlete of the Year. Fairmont State Acrobatics & Tumbling base Peyton Barnes earned national recognition as well by being named to the NCATA All-Academic Team in 2021. 18 Fairmont State student-athletes were announced to the NCATA Academic Honor Roll in 2021.

Baylor, winners of six-straight NCATA National Championships, was voted first on 29 of 31 ballots and is the preseason favorite in 2022. Azusa Pacific, the runner-up at last year's NCATA Championships, edged out Oregon by one point (411-410) in the preseason voting and will begin the season at No. 2 in the nation. Oregon was voted third in the country, followed by Quinnipiac at No. 4 (366) and Hawaii Pacific at No. 5 (321).

Gannon finished just three points behind HPU and will begin the season at No. 6 in the nation, followed by Converse (241), Fairmont State (237), Limestone (231) and King (208) rounding out the top 10.

West Liberty starts the bottom-third of the coaches' poll at No. 11 after garnering 108 points in the preseason voting. Presbyterian (88), Belmont Abbey (76), Mary-Hardin Baylor (61) and Frostburg State (49) rounded out the poll at No. 12 through No. 15, respectively.

The Fighting Falcons start the season inside Joe Retton Arena on Sunday, February 13th with a tri-meet against Alderson Broaddus and No. 15 Frostburg State.

The 2022 NCATA meet schedule is contingent upon the ability to conduct the sport safely while adhering to state and local guidelines and COVID-19 protocols at each member institution utilizing NCATA and NCAA guidelines.

Spectators for 2022 Acrobatics & Tumbling meets will be at the discretion of each competing institution and will be considered based on state and local guidelines and social distancing protocols to keep all student-athletes, coaches, officials and game day personnel safe at all times.

2022 NCATA Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Baylor (29) - 463
2. Azusa Pacific (1) - 411
3. Oregon (1) - 410
4. Quinnipiac - 366
5. Hawaii Pacific - 321
6. Gannon - 318
7. Converse - 241
8. Fairmont State - 237
9. Limestone - 231
10. King - 208
11. West Liberty - 108
12. Presbyterian - 88
13. Belmont Abbey - 76
14. Mary-Hardin Baylor - 61
15. Frostburg State - 49