One year removed from a national semifinal, Oregon acrobatics and tumbling is getting stronger.
Ahead of the 2025 season, the Ducks committed to their head coach, renewing her contract until 2028. In three years with Oregon, Susnara has led her group to three consecutive National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA) championship appearances. While she hasn’t yet claimed a title, her teams have won seven individual event titles and five athletes have been named All-Americans.
Susnara is a former three-time All-American at Oregon, where she competed before transitioning into an assistant coaching role in 2018-19.
She’s added to her staff, too. Just under three weeks before Susnara’s contract was renewed in July, former Hawai’i Pacific University assistant, Jacie Van de Zilverwas announced as the Ducks’ newest assistant. The former two-time NCATA Division II Most Outstanding Athlete previously spent a year on staff with the Hawai’i Pacific University Sharks in 2023.
“We are eager and excited to welcome Jacie to our coaching staff,” Susnara told GoDucks. “She brings a unique perspective having been a student-athlete and assistant coach from two different programs. Her passion and enthusiasm for the sport is contagious and we know her knowledge is going to help elevate our program. Welcome to the Duck Family, Jacie!”
Susnara added assistant coach Karly Nowak to the program last year. Like Nowak, Van de Zilver is a former NCATA athlete. The three-time All American competed for four years, capturing four individual event titles and leading the Cougars to an NCATA National Championship final berth at Azusa Pacific University before joining the Hawai’i Pacific staff in 2023.
“I am incredibly excited and truly blessed to embark on this new journey with the University of Oregon acrobatics and tumbling coaching staff,” Van de Zilver said. “It’s an honor to contribute to such a prestigious program and help shape the future of this sport. I am eager to learn from coach Susnara and coach Nowak, as well as work alongside them as I enter into this position.”
The Ducks finished the 2024 season with a 3-3 record before making a run to the NCATA Championship semifinal, where they lost to eventual champions Baylor University. Its appearance in West Virginia also included four individual event titles and recognition for Alexis Giardina and Makena Carrion as NCATA All-Americans.
As the sport continues to grow, the Ducks will look to retake their crown — and both Susnara and Van de Zilver could help them do just that.
