The Holy Family University Department of Athletics has announced the addition of acrobatics and tumbling and men’s lacrosse as its 16th and 17th varsity programs. The programs are for the 2023–2024 academic year. 

“I join our students in their excitement over the addition to our athletics programs of acrobatics & tumbling and men’s lacrosse,” said Dr. Anne Prisco, president of Holy Family. “We are pleased to provide new opportunities for student-athletes to excel in their sports and the classroom.

“We know that student-athletes have a higher burden when it comes to balancing sports and schoolwork, so as we grow programs, we also grow resources to ensure we are able to support them in everything from academic support to mental health counseling. Our view is that our student-athletes are students first, so we strive to ensure a holistic and balanced experience.

“I look forward to cheering these new student-athletes on to victory next spring,” she concluded.

Holy Family Athletics continues its growth as the university has now revealed the addition of four new varsity programs over the past four months, with recent announcements that women’s bowling and Esports will begin competition in the 2022–2023 academic year.

“With the addition of four new sports for the 2022–2023 academic year, Holy Family University Athletics is expanding our athletics programming to develop even more student-athletes that will learn discipline, preparation, strategic thinking, and teamwork in their respective sports with their peers,” said Director of Athletics Tim Hamill. “We are looking forward to welcoming our first acrobatics & tumbling and men’s lacrosse teams to our campus.”

Acrobatics & Tumbling 

During the 2022 season, National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) programs competed on 32 campuses nationwide, with five new programs recruiting to compete in the spring of 2023. 

“We are excited to welcome Holy Family University to the NCATA community and to continue program growth within the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC),” said NCATA Executive Director Janell Cook. “Adding our first program in the Philadelphia compliments recent growth in and around Baltimore and New York City. Expansion in the northeast not only provides new opportunities for young women training in gymnastics and cheerleading to compete at the collegiate level, it also enhances the regional matchups for our current members.”

“This is an incredibly exciting time for Acrobatics & Tumbling, as we experience another period of expansion and continue forward to our goal of reaching NCAA championship sport process.”

Acrobatics & tumbling was adopted as an NCAA emerging sport in all three divisions effective August 1, 2020, meaning when 40 programs meet NCAA sport sponsorship thresholds for participants (18) and competitions (6), acrobatics & tumbling will be eligible to begin the legislative process for NCAA championship status.

Earlier this year NCATA announced the addition of its 40th member, and Holy Family will proudly become its 45th. 

Those interested in formally applying for the position of head coach can do so here. Prospective student-athletes can fill out the following form.  

Men’s Lacrosse

NCAA Division II featured 74 men’s lacrosse programs in 2022, of which just three were in Pennsylvania. 

Holy Family will become the fourth, in addition to becoming the eighth member of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC). 

Men’s lacrosse will be the 12th sport in which Holy Family competes in the CACC, among the 16 that the league offers.