Lander University

Acrobatics & Tumbling 4/9/2026 9:40:00 AM Hailey Franklin - Assistant Sports Information Director

Shively Named Conference Carolinas Athlete of the Year; Bearcats Earn Multiple All-Conference Honors

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Lander University's acrobatics & tumbling program garnered major recognition from Conference Carolinas, highlighted by Ashlyn Shively being named the league's Athlete of the Year, the conference announced.

Shively, a junior top/tumbler from Pinehurst, N.C., becomes the first Athlete of the Year in program history. She turned in a standout season, earning three Conference Carolinas Athlete of the Week honors and collecting National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) Division II Athlete of the Week accolades on April 1.

Competing in 13 heats for the Bearcats, Shively consistently delivered elite performances throughout the season. She played a key role in Lander achieving a perfect 10.00 in the compulsory pyramid and posted scores of 9.50 or higher in all of her heats. Her efforts also contributed to multiple program-record improvements over the course of the year.

In addition to her Athlete of the Year recognition, Shively was named First Team All-Conference.

She was joined on the first team by senior Audra Kaiser, a top/base/tumbler from Buffalo, Minn.

Lander placed three student-athletes on the Second Team All-Conference, including freshman top/tumbler Jalynne Barrientes (Honolulu, Hawaii), senior base Rhianna Philcox (Greenwood, S.C.), and junior base Casey Sutherland (Easley, S.C.).

Lander will begin postseason action Saturday, April 11, in the Conference Carolinas Semifinals, facing No. 3-seeded Montevallo at 3 p.m. in Franklin Springs, Georgia.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Ashlyn Shively: 5' 3"; Junior

#47 Casey Sutherland: 5' 11"; Junior

#24 Jalynne Barrientes: 5' 0"; Freshman

#25 Audra Kaiser: 5' 6"; Senior

#38 Rhianna Philcox: 5' 5"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#2 Ashlyn Shively
: 5' 3"; Junior

#47 Casey Sutherland
: 5' 11"; Junior

#24 Jalynne Barrientes
: 5' 0"; Freshman

#25 Audra Kaiser
: 5' 6"; Senior

#38 Rhianna Philcox
: 5' 5"; Senior