Former Oregon acrobatics and tumbling athlete Chelsea Shaw was named head acrobatics and tumbling coach Thursday evening, Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens announced Thursday evening. Shaw, who is taking over for her former coach Felecia Mulkey, was a member of the first two Oregon teams that won National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA) national championships. Shaw just finished her first and only season as the head coach at Gannon University.
“It’s such an incredible honor to be given the opportunity to work with these uniquely talented young women at the university I love and believe in,” Shaw said in a press release. “I plan to dedicate every ounce of my energy to building upon the winning tradition this team has built. I look forward to a fifth national championship and to innovating and excelling still more.”
Gannon didn’t have an acrobatics and tumbling team until last year, and the school chose Shaw to lead the Lady Knights in 2013-14. Shaw told The Emerald in February that she “really wanted to coach” following her successful career as an athlete.
“Since this sport is so rapidly growing, I knew that eventually there would be a job that would open up and hopefully I would be considered for it,” Shaw said.
Last season turned out to be a success for Gannon, who reached the NCATA quarterfinals last season after a 5-5 regular season record.
When she competed at Oregon, Shaw earned NCATA All-American honors following her junior and senior seasons.
“As a former student-athlete at the University of Oregon, she brings a unique perspective on an outstanding student-athlete experience. With her infectious enthusiasm for the University of Oregon and the sport of acrobatics and tumbling, our program will continue to compete for championships,” Mullens said in a press release.
Shaw is taking the most successful team in the short history of college acrobatics and tumbling. In April, the Ducks won their fourth straight national championship. Mulkey had been Oregon’s head coach since its debut season in 2009-10 (the only season Oregon didn’t win the national championship). Exactly one month ago, Mulkey left the program to become the head coach at Baylor.
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