Mercyhurst University Athletics

Ruthanne Oakes enters her 2nd season as the Mercyhurst Stunt Coach. After spending time at the helm of the Cheerleading program, Oakes led the Stunt program to a 12-11 record in their first year. 

Oakes was a member of the cheerleading team from 2013-2016 and was voted captain in her final year on the team. She then moved on to coaching for Maplewood High School for five varsity seasons. 

Oakes remaines thrilled to continue building up the Stunt program: "I am so excited to be a part of history in the making at Mercyhurst University. Mercyhurst is trailblazing in the world of STUNT being the first University in the state to have the program. It is an honor to take on this position in a sport that offers new opportunities to female athletes from many athletic backgrounds. My goal is to build a strong foundation for STUNT that will have a long-lasting legacy at the University." 

STUNT is one of the fastest-growing female sports in the country. It removes the crowd-leading element and focuses on the technical and athletic components of cheer, including partner stunts, pyramids, basket tosses, group jumps, and tumbling.

Mercyhurst officially added STUNT as the department's 26th varsity sport in October, 2023.