CONWAY, Ark. _ The University of Central Arkansas' newest sport has a new head coach, according to Dr. Brad Teague, UCA's director of athletics.

Alyssa Morrow has been hired to head the new STUNT program at UCA.

"Coach  Morrow has demonstrated outstanding head coaching traits," said Teague. "We were impressed, of course, by her knowledge of STUNT and the game strategies involved. She also communicates very well and gave us great confidence in her abilities to recruit great students to our program. 

"We are excited about her leadership of this outstanding emerging sport for our department."

Morrow comes to UCA from Drury University in Springfield, Mo., where she served as assistant STUNT coach. As a student-athlete, she was a member of the cheer and STUNT teams at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Mo. 

"I am so honored and excited to be stepping into the role of head coach for UCA STUNT," said Morrow. "I am extremely thankful to Dr. Brad Teague and everyone in athletics for giving me this opportunity and trusting me to start this program for the university. UCA already feels like home and I am looking forward to moving and planting my roots in Conway with my husband. 

"STUNT has been a major part of my life for going on six years now. I have four years of experience as a competing athlete and a year of experience as an assistant coach for a D-II college STUNT team. Being the head coach of a D-I STUNT program is an absolute dream come true and I am so excited to bring new opportunities for female athletes to this campus and build the UCA Bears STUNT legacy."

STUNT is UCA's 19th sport and 12th for female student-athletes. STUNT is one of the fastest-growing female sports in the country and is governed by USA Cheer. The sport  focuses on the technical and athletic components of cheer, including partner stunts, pyramids, basket tosses, group jumps and tumbling. Teams compete in short routines head-to-head on the floor at the same time and the team that executes the skills best wins the round and the point and can determine which routine level will be called next. 

STUNT expands participation opportunities for young women by providing an avenue for female student-athletes to use their cheerleading background in a new format. There are currently more than 60 universities around the country, including NCAA and NAIA varsity, as well as club teams, competing in the sport.