New photos from SMU’s preparations for the 2026 season have brought the Chiefs heiress back into the spotlight as she resumes a familiar role on campus. Ava Hunt is back where college football fans will soon expect to see her. The youngest daughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has returned to Southern Methodist University and is once again part of the school’s cheerleading squad.
She first joined the Mustangs cheer squad as a freshman in 2024. Her father, Clark Hunt, has led the Chiefs since the death of his father, Lamar Hunt, in 2006. Under his ownership, Kansas City has enjoyed one of the strongest stretches in franchise history, winning three Super Bowls and making 12 playoff appearances. Ava and Gracie were seen together during the 2026 World Cup before Ava returned to her college routine. With the 2026 college football season approaching, Ava Hunt is once again preparing for game days, practices and life at SMU.
Frazier marked the reunion with a simple message: “We are SO back,” The photos offered a clear sign that Hunt has settled back into the squad ahead of the new college football season. Hunt’s return to the SMU cheerleading team marks the latest chapter in a college journey that has taken a different path from the usual four-year routine. Rather than immediately continuing with college the following year, Hunt stepped away from campus and spent time in Kona, Hawaii, where she took part in a Discipleship Training School focused on faith-based humanitarian work. Now she is back at SMU, ready to combine her studies with cheerleading once again. Her return became public through a series of photos shared by fellow cheerleader and friend Cheyanna Frazier. Hunt appeared alongside several teammates during media day in University Park, Texas, wearing the team’s uniform and smiling for the camera. For someone whose family name is already deeply connected to professional football, her return also gives her another opportunity to build an identity of her own. Hunt may be returning to the college sidelines, but the NFL remains an important part of her family story. That success has made the Hunt family one of the most recognizable ownership families in American sports. Ava is the youngest daughter of Clark Hunt and is also the younger sister of Gracie Hunt, who has developed a prominent public profile of her own through her connection to the Chiefs and her work outside football. For now, however, Ava’s focus is firmly on SMU. Her decision to step away from college for a year before returning also makes this comeback more meaningful. She is not simply returning to a familiar uniform. She is picking up a role she once held while bringing a different set of experiences with her. Join conversation Share your thoughts in the comments Be respectful · TOI community guidelines The upcoming season will put her back in front of college football crowds, this time with the Mustangs rather than the Chiefs. That distinction matters. Hunt’s return to cheerleading gives her a chance to be recognized for something separate from her family’s football legacy Although being part of an NFL family naturally attracts attention. The Chiefs connection will always be part of her story, but her latest comeback shows she is also carving out a path of her own. Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.
