By Christi Mays
Being a collegiate athlete is an impressive accomplishment for any student, but Angel Pace takes it one step further.
Angel is hard of hearing but didn't let that stop her from performing on the Acrobatics and Tumbling team all four years. Without her hearing aids—which she can’t wear when she performs—she has to rely on her lip-reading ability and cues from her teammates to help her through the practices and routines.
“I never dreamed that I would actually have the opportunity to be a collegiate athlete!” said Angel, who graduated in May with a degree in criminal justice. Angel first learned about UMHB when former A&T Coach Courtney Pate reached out to her through Instagram and asked her to be a recruit for the inaugural acrobatics and tumbling team at UMHB, which started in 2019.
“I never imagined that I would be given the amazing opportunity, and I did not want to take it for granted,” she said. “I fell in love with the campus size, the Christian values and the campus itself.”
Angel specializes in topping, balancing at the top in straddle pyramids, walk-ins and other moves that defy gravity.
“One thing I love most about this sport is the amazing bond it creates between my teammates and me,” said Angel, who was a member of the criminal justice honor society, Alpha Phi Sigma. “The level of trust, love and respect that we all have for each other is amazing. Whether I am on the mat or not, cheering for my teammates is one of my joys in life! I also love getting to challenge my mental blocks and fears and eventually working through them. Overall, this sport is very unique, and it allows women to show their own strength in crazy ways.”
