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No. 1 Baylor Acrobatics and Tumbling opens NCATA Championships against No. 8 Gannon

Posted at 10:57 PM, Apr 24, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-25 00:28:16-04

WACO, TX — The No. 1 ranked Baylor acrobatics and tumbling team will host No. 8 Gannon in the quarterfinals of the National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association National Championship Tournament Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ferrell Center.

The meet will be streamed live at https://baylorbears.com/watch/?Live=1233&type=Live

Baylor A&T is seeking their fifth straight National title. But despite all their success, Baylor head coach Felicia Mulkey said her team is more hungry than ever.

She described her team as being the strongest in the country and said she would love nothing more than to send her seniors out the same way they started: with a National Championship on their home floor.

"All of them are very special, and every championship has been very special. But, what we're seeing is the culmination of four years of just this program, our strength and conditioning program, the upperclassmen before them teaching them the way that Baylor does and showing them what our standard is. So, all of them have been special, but this is the most prepared I think we've ever been, and it's a tribute to the upperclassmen," Mulkey said.

Baylor (9-0) has won 27 consecutive meets and carries a 15-4 postseason record into Thursday’s contest. The Bears and the Lady Knights will be meeting for the fourth time in program history. Baylor holds a 3-0 series lead historically over Gannon.

Gannon (5-1) comes to Waco for the third time in program history. The Lady Knights have previously matched up with the Bears twice in the NCATA Championships, with Baylor coming out on top both times.

Mulkey holds a 50-1 entering Thursday’s matchup. She has led the Bears to seven consecutive meet totals above 280.000 points, a score that only one other school has reached in the 2019 season.

"We have done it a million times in practice in every situation possible. Our coach puts the environment... crazy, relaxed, we've done it in every situation. So, I know that we are ready for this championship. We are well prepared, and we haven't peaked yet. So, can't wait to," Kaylee Adams, a top/base for the Bears, said.

With a meet win on Thursday, Baylor would advance to a semifinal meet on Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m. and await the winner between No. 4 Quinnipiac and No. 5 Fairmont State.

The NCATA National Championship Tournament final will take place on Saturday, April 27 at 6 p.m. Additionally, individual event finals are scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. The Bears can qualify for the individual event finals with their scores from Thursday night’s meet against Gannon.

For tickets, visit: http://www.baylorbears.com/tickets/ [baylorbears.com]. For updates on the program, follow @BaylorAcroTumb on Twitter and Instagram and @BaylorAcrobaticsandTumbling on Facebook.