Assistant Vice President for Athletics Matt Land announced that Mikayla Sutherland will serve as the next head coach for the Trine University acrobatics and tumbling team in September of 2024.
Sutherland led the Thunder to a fourth place finish at the NCATA Division III Tournament, falling to eventual national champions Mary Hardin Baylor. Trine won two national titles in the event finals, claiming the Synchronized Heat Toss and the Quad Pass. Nine members of the team were named to the All-Academic Team.
“Coach Sutherland has been a valuable member of our acrobatics and tumbling team since the start and I am ecstatic for her to continue to lead the program forward,” said Land, “Her knowledge of the Trine University culture and experiences on the mat, will be invaluable as she works on propelling the Thunder to the next level.”
Sutherland is a recent graduate of Trine, and a four-year member of the acrobatics and tumbling team. A member of the inaugural roster, she saw the growth of the program from fledgling to perennial national contender. The Thunder have reached the NCATA Division III national championship match the past two seasons.
“Mikayla truly cares about his program and these athletes,” said former head coach Kati Horstmann, “She will be a fantastic leader for the student-athletes, just as she has been for years as a member of the team.”
Before attending Trine, Sutherland was a member of the Champion Force competitive cheer team and has worked as an assistant coach for that organization since 2015. She has also served as a gymnastics and tumbling instructor for Kids Gym, Inc.
“I am honored by the opportunity to return to Trine as head coach,” said Sutherland, “My time as a part of the program was unforgettable. I can’t wait to build on our recent success and share my passion for the sport into the future.”
