Sarah Northrop
Ducks base Yeelena Faustino (18) and top Mikaela Moore (37) hold their positions in an acro. Oregon Ducks acrobatics and tumbling meets with Arizona Christian University at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Ore. on Feb. 23, 2019. (Sarah Northrop/Emerald)
For the second consecutive week, an Oregon Duck has earned the NCATA Athlete of the week honors.
After helping Oregon defeat Arizona Christian last week, sophomore base Yeelena Faustino was named the NCATA Athlete of the week. Oregon junior Payton Coon was named Specialist of the week as well in the weekly honors.
Faustino, a San Diego, California native, helped Oregon score three perfect-10s in Oregon’s 277.755-247.745 victory over the Firebirds. With her help in base, the Ducks scored perfect in the compulsory pyramid, compulsory toss and the five-element acro heats. Faustino competed in eight heats for the Ducks, scoring a 9.75 or higher in each.
Coon, a junior from Portland, Oregon, earned Oregon’s highest score in the tumbling event with a score of 9.80 in the 6-element pass heat. In the toss event, she helped Oregon score a 9.85 out of 9.90 in the 450 Salto toss heat and a 9.85 in the open heat as well. The Ducks’ 29.50 event score in the toss event was a season-best.
The No. 2 Ducks take on the No. 1 Baylor Bears on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Matthew Knight Arena.
Follow Maggie Vanoni on Twitter: @maggie_vanoni