Rayla Buckner and Lauren Perkins offered a simple answer to their coach’s “great idea” to try a skill known as a two-feet split with a straddle hold: “There’s no way this is going to work.”

The pair were members of the acrobatics and tumbling team at Morgan State University, the first HBCU to offer the sport at the Division I level, and the routine involved Perkins holding Buckner overhead while she did a handstand before Perkins went into a split.

“We did call her crazy,” Buckner recalled.

Still, the two began practicing the moves in January ahead of their first meet.

“In the beginning of the season, I would actually crumble,” Perkins said.

Less than a month later, on Feb. 2, the Morgan State Bears became the first team to perform the skill in a competition. The video of a subsequent meet at Kutztown University was picked up by ESPN, racking up over one million likes on TikTok, putting a spotlight on the team and their sport.

“We knew that it was an opportunity to be the first ones to say they ever did it, and to have two Black girls do it, I mean, why not,” said Regina Smith, the team’s head coach. “It’s not for me, it’s for Morgan State to have that under their name and for these young athletes to have that in the history books.”

The Baltimore-based historically Black college is one of 13 schools in the country to offer acrobatics and tumbling at the Division I level. Acrobatics and tumbling is a team sport composed of skillsets from artistic gymnastics and competitive cheerleading, according to the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association.

Smith said the idea came after another school submitted the skill, which acrobatic gymnasts do regularly. She spoke to the strength and conditioning staff about who would be best capable of executing the move. Then she approached Perkins and Buckner.

“They always know when I say, ‘I have a great idea,’ they’re like, ‘What is it coach now?’ ” Smith said.

To prepare for the stunt, Buckner said she did a lot of hip flexor strength and flexibility work. Perkins said she did hamstring physical therapy exercises and practiced splitting with her hands above her head.

Smith said the team’s Instagram account had about 2,700 followers before the video went viral. They had over 9,100 at the time of publication.

Smith had been sharing videos of the stunt for weeks, she said, because she was proud of her team. Her hope now is that people recognize them as educated women and talented athletes.

“I hope people see that we are more than just that split, but we embody a whole other level of Black girl magic,” Smith said.

Perkins and Buckner said the viral video has gotten their team more exposure on their campus, and they hope more people will come to support them at their meets.

The Bears host their first home meet of the season Saturday against the Long Island University Sharks.

Last year, the Bears went 2-4, and they’re hoping to be 5-3 this season, according to Smith. They’re currently 0-2, according to the NCATA.