Ducks Open 2019 Season on Friday

EUGENE, Ore. -- The No. 2 Oregon acrobatics and tumbling team opens its 2019 schedule on Friday at 7 p.m. PT, hosting No. 7 Hawaii Pacific inside Matthew Knight Arena. This will be the eighth time the two teams have faced off. Oregon last defeated HPU, 280.100-267.595, in Honolulu on Feb. 9, 2018.

HOW TO FOLLOW
The meet will be live streamed at goducks.com. For score updates throughout the meet follow @OregonAcroTumb on Twitter and Instagram.

Compulsory – The Ducks head into the 2019 season coming off a 5-4 record in 2018 during head coach Keenyn Won's first season. Oregon defeated Concordia (Wis.) once and Hawaii Pacific and Gannon twice each, while losing to Baylor three times and Quinnipiac once.

Acro – Oregon has reached the NCATA National Championships in eight straight seasons. The Ducks finished the 2018 season in the semifinals when they fell to Baylor, 281.410-277.725.

Pyramid – UO will build on last year's success as 23 letterwinners return from last season's squad. Oregon lost 15 athletes to graduation or transfer. The Ducks replenished their depth by adding 10 newcomers to this year's squad.

Toss - The acro team recorded its all-time best marks in the toss event during the 2018 season. The Ducks set the program record with a toss score of 29.70 at Hawaiii Pacific on March 26, 2018. Oregon went on to again tie this score against Baylor on April 8, 2018.

Tumbling – The Ducks took home six titles at the NCATA National Championship Event Finals. Taylor Galvin, Alexis Cross and Tia Thomas earned a 9.925 for the five element acro title. Oregon recorded its second all-time title in the synchonized pyramid heat with a 9.875. The Ducks also won the 450 salto toss title and the synchronized toss title with scores of 9.70 each. Reagan Trussell led the team to another victory with a 9.875 in the six-element tumbling event. Lastly, the the team collected the open tumbling title with the help Galvin, as she scored a perfect 10. Galvin went on to earn her third consecutive All-America honor - joining Tara Luburt as the only Duck to earn three All-America honors. Casi Jackson was also named a NCATA All-American, her first career honor.

Team – Taylor Galvin will transition from teammate to coach during the 2019 season. Galvin was named Oregon's new assistant coach on July 31, 2018, after graduating from Oregon in 2018. She helped the Ducks to reach the NCATA Championships three times while compiling a 31-13 career record over that span. Galvin was a three-time All-American (2016-18), two-time open tumbling champion and two-time 6-element tumbling pass national champion (2016 & 2017). She captured her second open tumbling national title in 2018 behind a perfect score of 10.00. As a senior, Galvin was twice named the NCATA Player of the Week.

THE 2019 SCHEDULE
The acro team will host four home meets this season, beginning with Coach Won's former school of Hawaii Pacific on Friday. Next, Oregon hosts Arizona Christian on Feb. 23, before facing off against four-time national champion Baylor on March 3. The Ducks round out their home slate with Azuza Pacific on March 30. This year's NCATA National Championships will take place from April 25-27 at Baylor in Waco, Texas.

POLL POSITION
For the fourth straight season, the Ducks will open the year ranked second in the NCATA Coaches Poll. Four-time reigning NCATA national champion Baylor took first. Oregon received two first-place votes, with the Bears receiving the remaining 20. All but one of UO's opponents this season are ranked in the top 10 with Quinnipiac at third, Azuza Pacific at fourth and Hawaii Pacific at seventh.

SCOUTING REPORT
Hawaii Pacific opens the 2019 season coming off a 2-6 record last season. The Sharks secured their two wins in a tri-meet against West Liberty and Davis & Elkins with a score of 263.250.

The Ducks hold a 6-1 record against Hawaii Pacific, defeating the Sharks twice in 2018. Oregon first defeated Hawaii Pacific at home, 280.100-267.595, on Feb. 9, before prevailing a second time, 284.660-274.22, in Honolulu on March 26.

STORIED HISTORY
Since the NCATA's inception in 2011, the Ducks have won four of eight NCATA National Championships. In that eight-year span, UO has tallied a 70-15 meet record, including a total of 46 individual event titles and 19 All-Americans.

LOOKING AHEAD
The Ducks head to Hamden, Conn., to face Quinnipiac on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. PT.