Wheeling, W. Va. - After announcing the start of the Wheeling University Acrobatics & Tumbling program last week, the Wheeling University Athletic Department has announced the new leader of the program. On Friday, Alexis Kelly, was announced as the first Head Acrobatics & Tumbling coach in program history as she leads the Cardinals into the 2025 season. As an athlete, she was part of the first Acrobatics & Tumbling team in Emmanuel University's history and she looks to help Wheeling build a strong foundation for the future.
"I am truly honored to be given the opportunity to build a program from the ground up here at Wheeling University," said Kelly. "I believe that acrobatics and tumbling is changing the world's view on women's sports and I am blessed to be a part of it."
Kelly will be stepping into her first Head Coaching position, after spending the 2023-2024 season at her alma mater as an Assistant Acrobatics and Tumbling coach. In just their fourth season of competition, Kelly helped the Lions to a 5-5 record overall, including a 4-4 mark in Conference Carolina's (CC) play. It marked the best season in program history for Emmanuel University Acrobatics and Tumbling, and they made their first-ever trip to the CC Championships. Under Kelly's watch, three different Lions earned All-Conference Carolina's honors, while Emmanuel Head Coach Ceara Gray would earn the conference's Coach of the Year honors.
Prior to her time as an assistant coach, Kelly was a three-year member of the Emmanuel Acrobatics & Tumbling team, helping the program grow during those three seasons. She was a founding member of the program, which is the only acrobatics and tumbling team in Georgia, and was a leader on the team for three seasons. In 2023, she was part of one of the two Emmanuel University events to compete at the Conference Carolina Championships. She was a member of the Seven-Element Acro team, which scored a 9.300 in their event. It was the first time that an individual event made it to the Conference Carolina's championships in program history as she helped build the Lions legacy.
"Coach Alexis Kelly's experience as a student-athlete starting and building a program, coupled with her coaching background and connections, will be an asset to Wheeling University's efforts to sponsor the sport of Acrobatics and Tumbling," said Wheeling Athletics Director Carrie Hanna. "We are pleased to welcome her and this exciting sport to our Cardinal family."
Along with her experience as an Acrobatics and Tumbling athlete, Kelly also brings with her six years of experience as a Cheerleading Coach. From 2017-2020, she was the Head Coach for the Ahwatukee Stars, while also serving as a Private Cheer Coach for the past two years. Kelly will look to bring her experience from the Acrobatics & Tumbling mat into the Head Coaching role as she leads Wheeling Acrobatics & Tumbling into the future.
The Wheeling University Acrobatics and Tumbling team is excited to hit the ground running. If you are an athlete looking to join the team, contact Alexis Kelly at akelly@wheeling.edu.
