Penn-Trafford’s Bruno signs letter of intent to attend Baylor for acrobatics and tumbling

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, November 21, 2021 | 11:01 AM

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You probably didn’t know a student/athlete can earn a scholarship for acrobatics and tumbling.

You aren’t alone.

Penn-Trafford senior Carleigh Bruno learned about it kind of by accident while working out at Legend Athletics in North Huntingdon. She was there trying to improve her moves for cheerleading competition.

That’s where she ran into trainer Angela Urban, who works at the facility and who was education coordinator for the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association.

Urban, who previously was an assistant coach at Baylor and Oregon, lives in North Huntingdon.

Bruno, who has been cheering since age of 5 and now spends her Friday nights cheering on the Warriors football team, recently she signed a national letter of intent to attend Baylor and compete in national cheerleading competitions.

Baylor has won the NCATA national championship six years in a row.

Acrobatics and tumbling became a college sport in 2011 and has grown to 40 schools. Bruno said Gannon and Fairmont State (W.Va.) also were recruiting her

“It was incredible to get offered a scholarship,” Bruno said. “I didn’t know they considered it a sport until I met Angela. It’s a relatively a new sport. It’s a great opportunity for me.”

Bruno won’t be part of the Baylor cheerleading squad. She will be competing strictly on the acrobatics and tumbling team. Acrobatics and tumbling is a mix of gymnastics and cheerleading.

“I love it,” Bruno said. “I’m excited about competing head-to-head against other individuals.

“I want to major in engineering in college, and when I visited Baylor for camp I fell in love with the campus. I like the coaching philosophy. I also love warm weather and Texas. It’s going to be an exciting experience.”

There is another local girl on the Baylor squad:s senior Hannah Chriseman, who graduated from Norwin.

Bruno said she will be competing as the base position.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Penn-Trafford