Gannon head acrobatics and tumbling coach Chelsea Shaw has named Emily Sommer as the program’s first assistant coach. Her appointment begins immediately.

Sommer was a member of the first-ever acrobatics and tumbling program at Fairmont State (W.Va.) University. She began her collegiate career as a two-year (2009-11) letterwinner for the Fairmont State Competitive Cheer program, before lettering two more times (2011-13) with the school’s acrobatics and tumbling program. Her stellar collegiate career included an individual title in the five-element acro national championship heat in 2012.

“I am extremely excited and thankful to be given this opportunity to help Gannon start an acrobatics and tumbling program,” said Sommer. “It’s an amazing honor to be part of the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) and a growing sport that gives such an incredible opportunity to female student-athletes at the collegiate level.”

Sommer was the National Cheerleading Association (NCA) Division II All-Girl National Champion in 2010. A member of the Fairmont State Dean’s List and a West Virginia Promise Scholarship recipient, Sommer served on the NCATA Student Representative Committee during the 2012-13 campaign.

“Emily is an amazing athlete with an amazing personality and a burning passion for the sport,” said Shaw. “Those traits will be a perfect fit and will help us build a successful program at Gannon. Her expertise in acrobatics, pyramids and toss will be a huge benefit to our program. I can’t wait to have Emily on board with us on this journey.”

Sommer graduated from Fairmont State in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science.