It is with great sadness that the APU Athletics Department announces the passing Sunday of acrobatics & tumbling head coach Colleen Kausrud from pulmonary-related complications.

"We are heartbroken by the sudden passing of Colleen. Our department has lost a loyal friend, outstanding coach, and most importantly, a devoted woman of God. Her loss will be felt far beyond the Azusa Pacific community for she was an absolute joy," said Gary Pine, director of athletics.

From the moment Kausrud arrived at Azusa Pacific in 2005, she began to transform the athletic landscape of the university. She first served as cheer coach for the Cougars, developing the first-ever competitive program. She led her team to the 2010 National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) national championship for the All-Girl Division III classification. A year later, she successfully transitioned Azusa Pacific's competitive cheer program into one of six founding members of the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association. Kausrud is credited with being one of four key women who outlined a vision for creating acrobatics & tumbling as a new sport and made it a reality. While there were just six programs in the inaugural 2010 season, acrobatics & tumbling achieved NCAA Emerging Sport Status on August 1, 2020, with 32 programs and burgeoning numbers.

This sought-after distinction was a driving goal from the earliest days of the sport and one of the sweetest rewards of Kausrud's career. Kausrud talked about the accomplishment in July, "It was a dream that we all were a part of and got to influence, and I think that is so fulfilling. I'm getting close to retirement, so I didn't know if I was going to make it to that point as a coach. I knew it would eventually become a sport, but I didn't know if I was still going to be coaching at that point. I'm definitely satisfied and feel accomplished that we've been able to do that."

Over the course of Kausrud's 10 seasons as the Cougars head coach, her teams posted a record of 40-38, reaching five NCATA national tournament semi-finals, and finishing second in the nation in 2014. The Cougars' five trips to the NCATA semi-finals is the fourth most among all acrobatics & tumbIing programs. In 2013, she was named the NCATA Coach of the Year. That year, Kausrud led the Cougars to a victory over Baylor in the final meet of the regular season. Year in and year out, she put her teams in position to compete with NCAA Division I schools, despite the significant difference in resources for the NCAA Division II Cougars.

Prior to her time at Azusa Pacific, Kausrud had an extensive résumé in competitive cheer and fitness training. She served for six years (2003-08) as the West Coast representative for the Fellowship of Christian Cheerleaders (FCC), and provided coaching and instruction at numerous camps and clinics, while also spending four years (1999-2003) as the competition coach at Western Christian High School in Covina. 

Kausrud was certified by the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors (AACCA), and served as the president of the National Christian Fitness Association (NCFA). She was also an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified fitness and kickboxing instructor.

A native of Southern California, Kausrud graduated from Whittier Christian High School, before attending Vanguard University (then-Southern California College).
Kausrud is survived by her husband of nearly 40 years, Todd, and their two daughters, Jen (Anthony De Jager) and Laurie (Dwayne Harrington), both APU alumni, and five grandchildren.

Details on a memorial service are pending.