BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (March 1, 2026)--The Morgan State acrobatics and tumbling team went into Long Island's Pratt Recreation Center on Monday afternoon and came out victorious over the host Sharks, 234.925-229.115 in a National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) to secure its first win of the season.
 
The win marked a few firsts on the day, as it was also the program's first win ever over Long Island in the series' three meetings and was the first career win at Morgan State for first-year head coach Agina Simpkins.
 
Morgan State, which avenged last year's heartbreaking loss (242.12-238.07) to the Sharks in Baltimore, improved to 1-2 on the season, while Long Island fell to 1-2 and suffered its first loss at home.
 
"I'm really excited for them for their first win and also their first win against LIU," said Simpkins. "The two previous years they did not beat them, so it was exciting to have a first win on the road."
 
The meet was tightly contested the entire afternoon. The host Sharks led throughout the first four events but held no more than a two-point cushion in the total team score.
 
With two events remaining, the Lady Bears went into the tumbling portion trailing113.700-111.850. Morgan State would go to work claiming five of the six heats to take their first lead of the competition, 163.475-162.625, heading into the team event finale.
 
Morgan State closed out the meet winning the team event by a score of 71.450-66.490 to complete the comeback victory.
 
The Lady Bears will look to build on the momentum when they return home to host Francis Marion on Sunday, March 8 at 2 p.m. at Hill Field House.
 
Morgan State is 1-0 all-time against Francis Marion. The two programs met last season in Baltimore with the Lady Bears defeating the Patriots, 242.395-215.825 to pick up their first win of the 2025 campaign.
 
The Patriots will head to Baltimore with an 0-3 record, following their 232.895-219.460 loss at home to King (Tenn.) on Thursday, Feb. 26.
 
 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering nearly 140 academic programs leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.