Buena Vista STUNT Team Eager as 2026 Season Nears Kickoff

Buena Vista University’s STUNT program travels to Quincy, Illinois, for a four-game opening weekend on Feb. 6–7 as the Beavers begin their fourth season as an official varsity sport. The schedule includes two Friday matchups against No. 7 Maryville University at 4:00 p.m. and St. Norbert College at 5:00 p.m., with two additional games set for Saturday, the athletic department announced.

Buena Vista will bring a 19-player roster described as a “solid mix of veteran returners and a talented group of newcomers,” and will rely on three seniors who were on the program’s inaugural roster to provide leadership: Dayana Bueso (also listed elsewhere in the program materials as Dayanna Bueso), Kambree Hultquist, and Cassidy Weide. Buena Vista’s web post said “the Beavers are more than eager to get the program's fourth season as an official sport on campus underway.” The program has set explicit goals to win the most matches in a single season in program history and to “make a run into the College STUNT Nationals which will be held this year in Nashville, Tenn.”

Last season the Beavers finished 3-10, closing 2025 with an 11-0 victory over Randolph College in Dallas, Penn. The roster returns proven performers: Bueso earned First Team All‑American honors for the second time in her career, while sophomores Hannah Barker and Hazel Keith were named Second Team and Honorable Mention All‑Americans, respectively. Photo captions on BVU’s site identify Keyanna Rote alongside Cassidy Weide and both Dayana and Dayanna Bueso in action from matches against Saint Mary’s and Central Methodist.

Buena Vista opens against nationally ranked competition and a mix of programs building their own profiles. Maryville’s top-10 placement underscores the level of early-season competition, while other Division III programs such as Centenary and George Fox are running tournament-heavy opening windows. Centenary enters its slate ranked eighth in the Division III preseason and will host a McNeese Tournament and a home debut slated for Feb. 8. George Fox, the 2024 D-III national champion, has emphasized tournaments that pack multiple games into a day to broaden playing opportunities; “It gives the girls more opportunities to play," McLennan said. "We wouldn't have the same three groups for Partner Stunt One in all three games. It truly will be diversified, which will be nice. The more that the girls can play, I think the better that they can learn in areas to grow."

For Buena Vista and Storm Lake, the program’s steady growth has local implications beyond wins and losses. A fourth varsity season strengthens athletic recruitment, enhances campus life and gives regional fans new events to support. Road trips such as the Quincy weekend also expose the Beavers to higher-ranked opponents early, a strategy that can accelerate development for newcomers and veterans alike.

What comes next for local readers is a quick timeline: the Beavers’ multi-match weekend in Quincy will set the tone for the season and clarify how the 19-player group responds to high-level competition. Expect follow-up coverage on match results, updated roster details and verification of a few roster and opponent name inconsistencies that appear in BVU materials.