Cheerleading Not A Sport: What Does Quinnipiac University's Volleyball Team Have To Do With The Ruling?

Put away your pom-poms, it's official: Cheerleading is not a competitive sport.

A U.S. District Court ruled that the acrobatic practice is not a sport, in response to a plea by Quinnipiac University for the court to lift an injuction that requires the school to keep the women's volleyball team. The volleyball coach, along with several volleyball players, sued the university in 2009 after it announced that it would replace the team with a competitive cheer squad because of budget issues.

Judge Stefan R. Underhill ruled in their favor, as he had done back in 2010, saying that competitive cheerleading had not developed enough to be considered a college sport. He added that the addition of the cheer team -- dubbed "acrobatics and tumbling" -- along with a women's rugby team does not provide equal opportunities for girls and boys, and that the school ought to keep the volleyball team.

Lynn Bushnell, a Quinnipiac spokeswoman, issued a statement Tuesday saying the school is disappointed with the ruling, but "remains committed to its long standing plans to continue expanding opportunities in women's athletics."

Judge Underhill noted that even though acrobatics and tumbling have made improvements, including better laid out rules and a tighter format, it is still not recognized by the NCAA as an emerging sport.

"And without that recognition, acro lacks what every other varsity men's team sponsored by Quinnipiac enjoys: The chance to participate in an NCAA-sponsored championship," Underhill wrote.

Attorney Jon Orleans, who argued the case for the volleyball players said that the court found that women at Quinnipiac were not provided with competitive opportunities equivalent to those provided to men.

The court also determined that the rugby team lacked quality competition because only four other schools offer women's rugby as a varsity sport.