Three years after Tori Mayard traveled across the country as the first signee to compete for a brand-new Oregon acrobatics and tumbling program, the senior saw her career culminate with something much bigger than a championship victory.
While the Ducks took home the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association championship trophy in front of 1,021 people at Matthew Knight Arena on Saturday night, edging defending national champion Maryland 283.481-283.352, Mayard and her eight fellow seniors believed the 2011 season paved the way for an emerging sport still very much in its early stages.
“This is what it’s all about,” Mayard said. “For girls in the future that are growing up just like I did, and just like Natasha (Katzaroff) did, to get the scholarship opportunities and reach their goals and their dreams.”
Mayard is one of the six Oregon seniors who followed head coach Felecia Mulkey from Kennesaw State back in 2008. While the sport has gone through several changes over the years, including its name, Saturday’s narrow win over a talented Terrapin squad put the finishing touches on several dedicated careers.
“Actually I’m kind of speechless,” an emotional Mulkey said afterward, “and that doesn’t happen very often for me.”
Mulkey, who was named the NCATA Coach of the Year last week, has played a key role in helping acrobatics and tumbling gain emerging sport status from the NCAA during her time at the Oregon helm.
And Saturday the Ducks were looking to end their season on a high note after losing to Maryland in College Park on March 24. The Terrapins entered the final contest undefeated during the regular season, and missed out on a repeat national title by just a tenth of a point.
Oregon jumped out to early lead at halftime, 97.47-96.13, then came out firing in the second half and took all three of the basket toss heats heading into the tumbling round.
“When we went back to the locker room, the only thought was, ‘Do not let your guard down,’” Mulkey said. “We know we’re a first-half team; do not let your guard down, let’s hang on to every point we can. We knew they were going to beat us in tumbling — they’re phenomenal tumblers — so that was the big thing.”
As expected, Maryland took the tumbling event 52.54-51.89, which left them with a 1.42-point deficit heading into the team routine. The Terrapins excelled in the team routine all season, but after Oregon posted a 105.521, Maryland responded with a 106.812 effort, falling just short of its fifth national championship in six years.
“We lost by a tenth of a point,” Maryland coach Jarnell Bonds said. “Our girls are disappointed in themselves, but I couldn’t be prouder of their showing (Saturday).”
Oregon started off the night well in the individual events championships by winning the six- and seven-element stunt heats, pyramid, the second and third basket toss heats and the open tumbling pass.
Katzaroff, a rising star out of Mater Dei High School, took the individual title in the open pass with a score of 9.55. Just one day after suffering a costly fall in Oregon’s second-round win over fourth-seeded Baylor, a confident Katzaroff stuck her routine when it matter most.
“It’s just the greatest feeling ever,” Katzaroff said. “I was so happy to just come back. And that’s what athletes (do), they come back, they learn from their mistakes, and I had my team to support me.”
The freshman was one of several Oregon standouts this season, and Mulkey was not surprised to see Katzaroff nail the final pass.
“She’s a performer,” Mulkey said.
In a weekend filled with striking performances and several firsts under the new NCATA format, Mulkey and her team walked away from a successful season with an 8-1 record, a national championship trophy, and optimism for the years to come.
“I asked my team if they had any regrets, and they said, ‘No,’” Mulkey said of the moments leading up to the final decision. “There would not have been disappointment if we wouldn’t have won.”
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