In April 2005, he won the national championship in the floor exercise event at the 2005 NCAA Men's Gymnastics championship at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, making him a three-time national champ.
He competed in United States nationals where he placed 1st in the floor and the vault exercises and 9th in the all-around.
During the summer of 2003, Ackerman competed at the USA championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he won the silver medal on vault.
In August 2003, Ackerman was chosen to represent the United States at the World Championships in Taegu, Korea.
In his second-ever intercollegiate meet, a Stanford Invite, Ackerman earned a score of 9.775 on the floor which was a team season-high.