All three of Oregon’s senior day honorees transferred to Eugene. Jacinta Vandenberg came by way of Fresno State, Mar’Shay Moore moved from Blue Mountain Community College and Megan Trinder completed her time at Northeast Community College.
The three make up head coach Kelly Graves’ first senior class that was recruited exclusively by his staff.
Here’s a look at each player’s contributions as a Duck:
Jacinta Vandenberg, 6-foot-5 native of Melbourne, Australia
After sitting out a year, Vandenberg provided a instant boost for the Ducks in the post. Oregon’s only upperclassman forward this year, Vandenberg mentored the Ducks’ corps of young post players. She had a season-high nine points against Colorado in Eugene and has started 41 games for the Ducks over the last two years.
Graves said she will have a lasting impact on the program.
“Her impact with our young posts — I think she has more than made up for anything she could have done on the court,” Graves said. “I think their rapid improvement is in large part because of her.”
Vandenberg will graduate from Oregon with her master’s degree. She interns at Eugene Mission currently. Next term, she will intern at the Juvenile Detention center.
“I’m nervous because I know I’m going to cry,” Vandenberg said of senior day. “I’ve been in college for five years. I love this team a lot.”
Mar’Shay Moore, 5-foot-8 native of Vancouver, Washington
Perhaps nobody on the team has as much swagger as Moore. She’s often the Duck with the most energy on the bench. On the court, she’s appeared in 44 games over her two years. She posted a career-high 13 points against Portland State last year.
“Mar’Shay is the one who keeps you loose,’ Graves said. “You notice before the game, she’s one in the center of the circle kind of getting people fired up. That’s an important role to have.”
Moore enrolled at Oregon after two years at Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton. There, she used a summer away from home to hone in her skills and earn a scholarship.
“It’s been really great,” Moore said of her time at Oregon. “There’s different opportunities that I didn’t have at a JUCO. The team atmosphere is amazing. I love being here.”
Megan Trinder, 5-foot-7 native of Gold Coast, Australia
The Ducks announced on Friday that Trinder, a redshirt junior, will participate in senior day festivities. She’s had two ACL tears in her two years as a Duck.
She didn’t play during the 2015-16 season but appeared in 15 games this season before tearing her ACL again. She scored a career-high nine points against Lamar in the season opener.
Graves said the Ducks will honor Trinder in case she opts for a change in the future.
“We’re going to leave it open,” Graves said. “Just in case, it gives her an out. She can be honored with the rest in case she decides to do something else.”
Graves continued: “When you’re rehabbing, you look at things — do you want to rehab for the rest of your life or another season? One you’ve got to really attack. The other you take it a little slower. I think she’s still trying to figure out what she wants to rehab for. We’ll support her whatever she decides.”
Trinder enrolled alongside Moore when the Ducks signed two JUCO transfers in spring 2015. When she signed, she called the experience of playing Division I basketball a dream come true.
Vandenberg described Trinder’s situation as tough.
“That’s how it was going to be when I first came here — Megan and I were going to graduate together,” Vandenberg said. “I know it’s what’s best for her, so I’m super excited for her to see what goes on next.”
Follow Jonathan Hawthorne on Twitter @Jon_Hawthorne