In the final home meet for the Quinnipiac acrobatics and tumbling team, a whole host of fans piled into Lender Court. 

Senior day at the People’s United Center brought a whirlwind of emotions, including a win over the #5 Oregon Ducks for the #4 Quinnipiac Bobcats.

For head coach Mary Ann Powers, she expects her squad to compete against bigger schools and come out victorious. 

“That’s what we do,” Powers said. “We build leadership. That’s what Quinnipiac does, both in sports, academics, and in the community.”

Coming into the matchup, the Ducks had the Bobcats’ number, winning 10 of the last 11 matchups. 

On Sunday, Quinnipiac got its second win in program history over Oregon by a score of 268.450 – 267.620. 

While it may appear like the Bobcats got off easy against the Ducks, it did come down to the final judging at the end of the meet.

It was obvious from the sidelines that the Ducks came into the meet with a boat load of confidence, and the wind was taken out of their sails when Quinnipiac came through and sent shocks of disbelief shriveling down their spines.

“Let’s face it, right up until those pyramids came down, they were perfect…what I was witnessing was perfection,” Powers said. 

With the last home win, the team also sent off the class of 2022 and its 13 members, athletes, managers, and student athletic trainers alike.

This year’s graduating class was not the only class to be recognized. Since the COVID-19 pandemic sent the Bobcats season to a screeching halt back in 2020, that year’s senior class was not given a proper send off.

That changed at Sunday’s contest. 

Over 10 members were in attendance for their two-year wait to get the proper send off. 

Many of them entered the workforce becoming teachers, nurses, and many of them became coaches at Quinnipiac and other universities for the sport they dedicated so much time to. 

Emma Carman, a current assistant coach at the University of Oregon, served as team manager for Quinnipiac between 2017 and 2020. 

Powers gave a tremendous amount of gratitude, appreciation, and love toward her foe in today’s meet, but her friend and athlete off the mats. 

“You know, the idea that like for her starting out in journalism,” Powers said. “But her love and passion for coaching because she found this sport, she’s multi talented, she’s got so many options in her life.”

Looking ahead for the Bobcats, they will look to capitalize on this monumental win against the Ducks and carry the momentum into the final regular season matchup against Gannon University on Saturday, April 9. 

The National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association Championships will take place in Eugene, Oregon over three days from April 28 to April 30.