INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The Malone University STUNT team was chosen to place fourth in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) in the preseason coaches poll prior to the start of 2026.
 
Co-head coaches Krista Klein and Karen Marinos are entering year three as a program and have had steady improvement across each of the team's first two campaigns. The Pioneers reached the G-MAC Tournament for the first time in program history in 2025 as the four-seed. Malone was defeated by Davenport University in the first round, the G-MAC regular season, tournament champions, and now 2026 preseason favorites to win the league.
 
The preseason poll for 2026 matched the final standings from 2025 in the conference. The Panthers received 31 points and all five available first-place votes. Ashland University was second in the poll with 27 points and the final remaining first-place vote. Tiffin University finished third in the poll with 23 points and Malone picked up 19 points.
 
Last season, the Pioneers had a record of 8-11 overall and 4-6 in conference play. All three student-athletes that received postseason honors one season ago return to the team in 2026. Danielle Blankenship was named Honorable Mention All-American by the College STUNT Coaches Association (CSCA) and is back for her sophomore season. Junior Makenna Jurkowski is coming off a season where she was tabbed as a Second Team All-Conference recipient. Megan Reifsnyder, a senior in 2026, was announced as a member of the G-MAC All-Tournament team for her performances in the postseason.
 
The season gets underway for Malone at home on February 14 when the Pioneers host Ashland and Ursuline College in the Malone Quad event.