Felicia Mulkey knows a thing or two about going into a season on the heels of a successful one. She’s the head coach of Oregon’s acrobatics and tumbling team, which has won three straight national titles. In the extremely young history of the sport at the college level, her team has dominated. And she doesn’t want the run to end.
“The staff and I pride ourselves on the culture of our team,” Mulkey says, “but we’re not satisfied.”
Mulkey says the student athletes on her team are grateful simply to be able to play the sport, but they all want to maintain their success as much as she does.
Acrobatics and tumbling is certainly not the only sport coming off a year full of accomplishments. The football team had a one-loss season that culminated in a Fiesta Bowl victory. The volleyball program achieved the highest win total in its history and made it to the NCAA Championship. Men’s basketball made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Baseball and softball had a combined record of 98-27. Track and field continued to dominate. Other sports had solid years, as well.
Overall, the Oregon athletic department shone about as bright as any in the country.
“Seeing other teams at Oregon play so well inspires us to be better,” says Erin Block, a rising senior on Mulkey’s team.
Block says there is some pressure being on such a dominant team, like there’s a bull’s eye on her and her teammates’ backs.
“I think everyone is out to beat Oregon,” Block said.
Instead of being motivated to dethrone the defending champs, Block and her teammates have been the ones wearing the crown, fending off those who want to take it. She has been with the team since their first national title, so she doesn’t know what it’s like to finish a season without a ring to look forward to. She hopes that doesn’t change in 2014.
Athletes and coaches aren’t the only ones who expect Oregon sports to keep up the good work.
“I think that Oregon athletics as a whole is still peaking in terms of their overall success,” said Oregon senior Max Brettler.
Senior Chelsea Fullmer says it won’t be easy for Oregon sports to maintain their dominance, but she still envisions greatness in 2013-14.
“I have high expectations for what the Ducks can prove,” Fullmer said.
While athletes like Block might feel some pressure being on a top team, Oregon sports have come to expect seasons like last. Football, track, acrobatics and tumbling, softball and several other programs have all had multi-year runs of success.
Mulkey says her team’s most recent recruiting class is “really good.” Block said she has been so busy preparing for the upcoming season, that winning those titles hasn’t quite hit her yet. Mulkey and Block are more than happy about the championships, but going into next season, they’ll be thinking about one thing.
“We’ve celebrated the title,” Mulkey says, “but we want to keep improving and get that fourth one.”