For UO Athletics It Has Been A December To Remember
12/24/19 | General, @GoDucksMoseley
A short break for the holiday provides a chance to reflect on all the big wins, national honors and record-breaking moments from the last few weeks.
A brief respite in the UO athletics calendar provides a chance to sit back and appreciate the bountiful gifts Oregon fans have been able to enjoy the past few weeks.
Already it's been a December to remember at Oregon. The month so far has been packed with big wins, record-breaking individual performances and prestigious awards.
The Ducks' football, men's basketball and women's basketball programs all got to be home for the holidays to begin this week. All three programs took top-10 national rankings into the break — the UO women's basketball team moved up to No. 2 on Monday and the men's team moved up to No. 6, the same ranking currently held by the football program.
Oregon and Baylor are the only top-10 teams in all three sports. Michigan also is in the top 25 for all three.
The football team and basketball programs only get a brief break. The UO football program will reunite in Los Angeles late Christmas Day, to begin preparations for the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin on New Year's Day. The men's basketball team reports back to Eugene on Thursday, to prepare to host Alabama State in Matthew Knight Arena on Sunday. The UO women report back Friday, and will host an exhibition against Corban on Saturday.
Until those report dates, the Ducks had the chance to be home with family to celebrate the holiday. They've given UO fans a lot to celebrate of late, too.
The football team captured the Pac-12 championship on Dec. 6, beating Utah 37-15 in the conference title game. Two days later, the Rose Bowl matchup was set.
On Dec. 9, senior quarterback Justin Herbert was named first-team academic all-American for the third time, and offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton made the second team. One day later, Herbert was awarded the Campbell Trophy at a ceremony in New York City, honoring him as college football's most accomplished senior in 2019 based on both academic and athletic performance along with leadership and community service.
That same day, sophomore left tackle Penei Sewell won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-12's best offensive lineman, according to a vote of the conference's defensive linemen. Two days later, Sewell was named the top interior lineman in all of college football, as the Outland Trophy winner, and last week he shared Polynesian player of the year honors as well.
The men's basketball team grabbed the spotlight on Dec. 14. That day, the Ducks went to Michigan and knocked off the then-No. 5 Wolverines in overtime, 71-70. Senior point guard Payton Pritchard dominated down the stretch, scoring 15 of Oregon's last 17 points; Pritchard was named national player of the week for his heroics, and Oregon was named NABC D-I national team of the week.
Women's basketball senior Sabrina Ionescu wasn't to be ignored, either. She posted her 20th career triple-double in a Dec. 16 win over UC Riverside, extending her own NCAA record among both men's and women's players.
Youth was served that day as well, as freshman Jaz Shelley scorched the nets with 10 three-pointers, a new team record. The men's team unveiled an exciting rookie of its own last week, when freshman big man N'Faly Dante joined the roster and provided an immediate infusion of size and athleticism in the post.
Dante's debut was Dec. 17, the same day Sewell was named co-player of the year by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. One day later, the football team signed an elite recruiting class headlined by the top two inside linebackers in the entire country — one of them Sewell's younger brother, Noah. And a day after that, Sewell became just the third unanimous all-American in UO history, joining a pantheon that also includes Marcus Mariota and LaMichael James.
Also on Dec. 19, it was announced that the UO athletics department has earned the NCAA and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association's 2020 Award for Diversity and Inclusion. The NCAA/MOAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion recognizes and celebrates the initiatives, policies and practices of colleges and universities and/or athletics conferences that embrace diversity and inclusion across intercollegiate athletics and higher education.
The Oregon athletic department entered its holiday break Saturday, following the football team's final practice of the year in Eugene, and home games for both basketball teams — wins for both the men and women. Ionescu put an exclamation point on Oregon's phenomenal two weeks with her second straight triple-double.
After all that, the Ducks had a chance to take a break and celebrate the holiday with family. No doubt there were gifts that awaited them at home, much deserved after all the gifts Oregon athletics has provided for fans the past two weeks.
Already it's been a December to remember at Oregon. The month so far has been packed with big wins, record-breaking individual performances and prestigious awards.
The Ducks' football, men's basketball and women's basketball programs all got to be home for the holidays to begin this week. All three programs took top-10 national rankings into the break — the UO women's basketball team moved up to No. 2 on Monday and the men's team moved up to No. 6, the same ranking currently held by the football program.
Oregon and Baylor are the only top-10 teams in all three sports. Michigan also is in the top 25 for all three.
The football team and basketball programs only get a brief break. The UO football program will reunite in Los Angeles late Christmas Day, to begin preparations for the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin on New Year's Day. The men's basketball team reports back to Eugene on Thursday, to prepare to host Alabama State in Matthew Knight Arena on Sunday. The UO women report back Friday, and will host an exhibition against Corban on Saturday.
Until those report dates, the Ducks had the chance to be home with family to celebrate the holiday. They've given UO fans a lot to celebrate of late, too.
The football team captured the Pac-12 championship on Dec. 6, beating Utah 37-15 in the conference title game. Two days later, the Rose Bowl matchup was set.
On Dec. 9, senior quarterback Justin Herbert was named first-team academic all-American for the third time, and offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton made the second team. One day later, Herbert was awarded the Campbell Trophy at a ceremony in New York City, honoring him as college football's most accomplished senior in 2019 based on both academic and athletic performance along with leadership and community service.
That same day, sophomore left tackle Penei Sewell won the Morris Trophy as the Pac-12's best offensive lineman, according to a vote of the conference's defensive linemen. Two days later, Sewell was named the top interior lineman in all of college football, as the Outland Trophy winner, and last week he shared Polynesian player of the year honors as well.
The men's basketball team grabbed the spotlight on Dec. 14. That day, the Ducks went to Michigan and knocked off the then-No. 5 Wolverines in overtime, 71-70. Senior point guard Payton Pritchard dominated down the stretch, scoring 15 of Oregon's last 17 points; Pritchard was named national player of the week for his heroics, and Oregon was named NABC D-I national team of the week.
Women's basketball senior Sabrina Ionescu wasn't to be ignored, either. She posted her 20th career triple-double in a Dec. 16 win over UC Riverside, extending her own NCAA record among both men's and women's players.
Youth was served that day as well, as freshman Jaz Shelley scorched the nets with 10 three-pointers, a new team record. The men's team unveiled an exciting rookie of its own last week, when freshman big man N'Faly Dante joined the roster and provided an immediate infusion of size and athleticism in the post.
Dante's debut was Dec. 17, the same day Sewell was named co-player of the year by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame. One day later, the football team signed an elite recruiting class headlined by the top two inside linebackers in the entire country — one of them Sewell's younger brother, Noah. And a day after that, Sewell became just the third unanimous all-American in UO history, joining a pantheon that also includes Marcus Mariota and LaMichael James.
Also on Dec. 19, it was announced that the UO athletics department has earned the NCAA and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association's 2020 Award for Diversity and Inclusion. The NCAA/MOAA Award for Diversity and Inclusion recognizes and celebrates the initiatives, policies and practices of colleges and universities and/or athletics conferences that embrace diversity and inclusion across intercollegiate athletics and higher education.
The Oregon athletic department entered its holiday break Saturday, following the football team's final practice of the year in Eugene, and home games for both basketball teams — wins for both the men and women. Ionescu put an exclamation point on Oregon's phenomenal two weeks with her second straight triple-double.
After all that, the Ducks had a chance to take a break and celebrate the holiday with family. No doubt there were gifts that awaited them at home, much deserved after all the gifts Oregon athletics has provided for fans the past two weeks.
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