Cameron King was tanning in the sun with her friends, unconcerned about the mass email instructing students to meet at the university gym at 2:30. But word travels fast on a small campus, and by the time they reached the meeting, passing crying coaches, the news was clear – King’s university was shutting down. Only a couple of months prior, the Acrobatics and Tumbling athlete had torn her Achilles right before competitions began. It almost felt like a sign to be done with her athletic career, but King dug deeper.
She grew up doing gymnastics, before finding her love of cheerleading. Despite initial thoughts of continuing to cheer in college, an Instagram DM from her mom sparked her curiosity in Acrobatics and Tumbling. King attended a camp at Fairmont, which solidified her love of the sport – and soon enough she was committed to her school in South Carolina.
Senior year brought its share of adversity with a torn Achilles and unexpected university closure, so King was hesitant to put her name in the transfer portal. A close friend encouraged her to do it, asking if she would miss not taking her senior year two years down the line. Division I coaches quickly reached out, and King visited a few schools to get a feel for the people and values before landing on Iona University.
As a new athlete in a newer program, King has already made an impact. Assistant Coach Sydney Hess was eager to nominate King as the “Unsung Hero” of the Iona Women’s Acrobatics & Tumbling Team. Hess remarked, “I think it says a great deal about someone to arrive as a senior transfer and immediately invest in the growth of the team—not just fitting into the culture but actively strengthening and elevating it.” She added that the team deeply respects and leans on King, who contributes far beyond competition.
King herself loves the program, noting the great coaching staff and trainers, and the closeness the girls share. From the start, she observed that this team had fun but also had seriousness and drove to win. King is optimistic for the program, and after the NCATA Preseason Coaches’ Poll ranked them fourth in the nation, she wants to take it up another notch. She revealed, “I wholeheartedly believe that we could go and at least reach top three.”
Reflecting on her past obstacles, King said she believes everything happens for a reason. She explained that challenges can be met two ways:
“You can carry it and be negative… or you can say, this happened to me, but how am I going to be better going forward.” Just two weeks after surgery, King wheeled into the weight room, continuing her training while helping her teammates from the sidelines.
“There’s always going to be bumps, but you just gotta push through it,” King stated. King’s story truly represents what it means to be an “unsung hero,” persevering through adversity while elevating everyone around her.
