STUNT Coach Alexis Blunk Showcases her Team and Passion at the Jessup Gala
In 2019, Alexis Blunk (formerly Welch) was announced as the first-ever head coach of Jessup STUNT. In four seasons with the Warriors, Blunk created a national powerhouse as the Warriors exited their time in the NAIA as three-time defending National Champions.
“Back when we hired Alexis as our first-ever head coach for STUNT, we demonstrated how serious we were about making STUNT an impact sport for Jessup and a flagship program for the NAIA,” Athletic Director Lance Von Vogt commented. “Alexis competed in STUNT at NCAA Division I Cal Poly and then immediately upon graduation, became the lead assistant coach. She has shown herself as one of the most driven young coaches I’ve come across in my years as a collegiate administrator and brings uncommon energy and enthusiasm to every day in addition to an enormous amount of technical knowledge and STUNT strategy to the table.”
Blunk recently shared her story to a room of over 400 Jessup Gala attendees. “I was always captivated by the energy of cheerleading,” she told them. It was the bright uniforms, synchronized routines, and exhilarating cheers that ignited a passion within her. From the sidelines of hometown football games to championships at Disney World, Blunk fell in love with performing in front of the crowd and reveled in the feeling of unity that cheerleading brought her as a young athlete.
The first season of Jessup STUNT got underway in 2021. Jessup’s first home contest took place in an empty gym because of the pandemic, against Blunk’s alma mater, Cal Poly. The Warriors went 0-8 in the first season of the program’s existence.
Through it all, Blunk remembered what she was called to do as a coach. Not just develop athletic abilities, but help her team grow into powerful young women who are ready to take on the world and do so while having a relationship with God.
Blunk instilled a growth mindset in her players, emphasizing that every setback was a building block for the future. Slowly but surely, the team came together and trust replaced skepticism, practice sessions turned into gatherings of camaraderie, and the players began to find joy in creating the legacy they were called to Jessup to be part of.
The Warriors found success right away in year two, performing in front of fans for the first time post pandemic. Jessup jumped to No. 2 in the NAIA STUNT rankings, earning the second year program a spot in the STUNT National Championship. With STUNT Nationals taking place inside Warrior Arena, Jessup put on a show for their home fans as they won the NAIA STUNT National Championship with a 9-8 victory over reigning champs, Vanguard. Blunk led the Warriors to a 13-5 record in the National Championship season.
Coming off a championship season in 2022, the Warriors continued their dominance in 2023 by winning a program record 18 games. The Warriors capped off the championship season with seven CSCA All-Americans, including four First-Team selections. For her work, Blunk was selected as the inaugural Jessup Athletics Coach of the Year, along with the honor of being USA Cheer’s NAIA Coach of the Yearl.
In 2024, the Warriors completed the three-peat taking down Hope International in the NAIA STUNT National Championship game to win its third-straight national championship.
While the athletic accomplishments are truly something to be noted, Blunk is most proud of how these athletes have grown in their spiritual journeys. “Not only do they amaze me as skilled competitors but also as individuals with strong moral character, resilience, and a sense of purpose,” she said.
