EUGENE, Ore. – The second-ranked Oregon acrobatics and tumbling team opens its 2024 season at Matthew Knight Arena where they host No. 9 Hawai’i Pacific on Saturday at 7 p.m. PT.
GAME INFO
When: Saturday, Feb. 10
Where: Matthew Knight Arena | Eugene, Ore.
Time: 7 p.m. PT
Watch: http://pac-12.com/live/university-oregon-10
Live Stats: https://goducks.com/sports/2022/2/28/acro-scores
TOP-10 SHOWDOWN BEGINS 2024 Season
Oregon was tabbed as the No. 2 team in the nation when the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA) announced its preseason coaches poll on Feb. 1. The second-ranked Ducks face an early test as they host No. 9 Hawaii Pacific at Matthew Knight Arena to kick off the 2024 season. Each of Oregon’s four regular-season opponents appeared in the NCATA top 10: No. 1 Baylor, No. 3 Quinnipiac, No. 5 Azusa Pacific and No. 9 HPU.
The DUCKS vs. THE SHARKS
The Ducks hold a 10-1 all-time advantage over the Sharks and have been the victors in each of the last nine meetings. The last time thetwo programs met was in 2022 in Honolulu, which ended in a 275.285-271.865 victory for Oregon. The Ducks came back from a 65.100-64.400 deficit after the 7-element acro heat to put together solid performances in the pyramid event, scoring 29.750 to help fuel the win.
STARS RETURNING TO EUGENE
Despite losing 13 letterwinners from last season’s roster, the Ducks return a pair of standouts in Makena Carrion and Rickelle Henderson. Carrion was named a 2023 NCATA All-American after competing as a top in all nine meets for the Ducks in the compulsory, acro, pyramid, toss and team events. Henderson – a tumbler from Katy, Texas – stole the show at the NCATA Individual Event Championships, becoming the first freshman to win an individual title since 2015 when she took home the six element tumbling pass title with a score of 9.750.
SOARING UNDER SUSNARA
Oregon reestablished itself as an elite program in year two under head coach Taylor Susnara. The Ducks finished the 2023 season 6-3 while making their way back to the NCATA finals for the first time since 2019. Susnara and the Ducks claimed five regular-season victories over ranked opponents, including upset wins over Azusa Pacific (twice) and Gannon. UO claimed the No. 2 seed for the 2023 NCATA National Championships after earning the No. 5 seed in Susnara’s first season in charge. Susnara was a three-time NCATA All-American for the Ducks from 2015-18 before working as an assistant for three seasons under then-head coach Keenyn Won. Susnara helped Oregon compile a 13-7 record in her three seasons as an assistant before being named the head coach in June of 2021. In her time as head coach, Susnara has coached three all-Americans and 2022 NCATA Freshman of the Year Blessyn McMorris while guiding her student-athletes to three individual event titles.
NEW ROLE FOR NOWAK
After serving as a staple in the Oregon lineup from 2020-23, former Duck standout Karly Nowak stepped into a new role for the program when she was hired as an assistant coach this past summer. A 2023 NCATA All-American, Nowak entered her first coaching role after graduating from UO with her degree in human physiology. Competing as a top, base and tumbler in her time as a student-athlete, Nowak brings a wide breadth of knowledge on the sport of acrobatics and tumbling to the Ducks coaching staff.
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