SAINT LEO, Fla. – The 11th-ranked Saint Leo University acrobatics and tumbling team opened the 2026 season with a highly competitive meet against the top-ranked Baylor Bears. Friday evening the Lions and the Bears earned nearly identical scores through the first three events, which included a win in the Pyramid event by a slim 0.95 margin.
Saint Leo's highest scores on the evening came in the Compulsory Pyramid Heat and the Pyramid Open Heat with a score of 9.95 in both.  Saint Leo opens the season 0-1 but has a lot to be proud with in the opening meet of the season. Baylor claimed the meet by a 277.415 to 256.590 final.
 
The teams opened the evening with near identical scores in the Compulsory event. In the Pyramid Heat, the Lions outscored the Bears by a 0.05 margin as they claimed their first of two heat wins on the day. Saint Leo scored a 9.55 in the Acro Heat to open the meet, followed by a 9.95 in the Pyramid Heat. The Toss heat followed with a 9.70 and an 8.5 in the Tumbling Heat. Baylor led 37.900 to 37.700 after the opening category.
 
Saint Leo's best score in the Acro category came from the first heat with a 9.850. Followed by a 9.25 in the second heat and a 9.75 in the final heat of the Acro event. Baylor claimed the Acro event by a 0.9 margin, 29.75 to 28.85. After two events, Baylor lead Saint Leo by a slim 1.10 margin, 67.65 to 66.55.
 
The pyramid event was the only event in which the Lions claimed a victory over the Bears. While Baylor opened with a perfect 10.00 on the Inversion Pyramid, Saint Leo claimed a 9.85 in the Inversion and Synchronized heats. Saint Leo's second 9.95 of the night came in the Open Heat which helped propel them to an event victory by a 0.95 margin, 29.65 to 28.75. After the third category of the day, Baylor led by just 0.15, 96.35 to 96.20.
 
The Toss event is where the Bears began to pull away with their largest event margin of victory, 2.95, of the first four events. Saint Leo opened with an 8.75 in the first heat. Followed by an 8.35 in the middle heat before closing out the Toss category with a 9.20 in the Open Heat. Baylor led the meet, 125.45 to 122.50.
In the final individual event, the tumbling event saw scores range from 9.825 by the visitors to 7.350 by the home team. Saint Leo's highest score in the tumbling event came in the 6 Element Pass as both teams scored a 9.5. Heading into the final event of the evening, Baylor's lead grew by nearly seven points, 184.75 to 174.85.
 
The visiting team claimed the team event to secure the season opening victory. Saint Leo's team score of 81.74 gave the home team a final total of 256.590. With a 95.43 in the team event, Baylor finished with 277.415.
 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo hits the road for a trip to Montevallo next week, February 12 at 6 p.m. in Alabama. The Lions will return home for three straight home meets hosting Presbyterian (Feb. 22), Lander (March 6), and a senior night meet against West Liberty (March 13). The regular season will close out with stop in South Carolina to take on Presbyterian (March 19) and Converse (March 21).