Behind the stage: women and designers
STUDENT WORKER STRIKE
Everything students should know if UOSW votes to strike
UOSW and UO are in mediation. Should negotiations not result in an inclusive labor contract, the union may vote to strike.
By Corey Hoffman Campus News Reporter
On Jan. 27, members of the University of Oregon Student Workers Union voted to proceed with a strike authorization should progress not be made in ongoing mediation with UO administration.
The Daily Emerald has provided insight into what a poten-
tial student workers strike would mean for students.
What are UOSW and UO currently bargaining for, and what are the sticking points?
UOSW and UO administration began bargaining for a new labor contract in May 2024 and
are currently in the mediation phase of the process. Proposals for the new contract address pay, discrimination and healthcare, among other things.
According to Izzie Marshall, a student worker in the Health Services on campus and member of the UOSW bargaining team, several sticking points include Q
Reflecting on Oregon acrobatics and tumbling vs. Baylor and the season ahead
By Owen Murray Sports Reporter
The Oregon acrobatics and tumbling team has largely succeeded in its first two meets. It set a four-year high in points in its opener and looked to have integrated several new pieces before its marquee home meet of the season. But the Ducks have had one consistent problem in their quest for a first national title since 2014. Really, it’s just one program.
Against No. 1 Baylor University on Feb. 22, that came to bear. Oregon hung with the nation’s best program for five events and even made a comeback to draw within two points before the team event. Those are all positives.
Last year, when the two faced each other at Matthew Knight Arena, the scenario was similar. Oregon lost every event except for tumbling, but still stayed close and trailed by just 1.25 points through five events. In the team event, though, the Ducks put up a subpar score (86.67) and lost by more than eight points.
It was the same story in 2025. A strong performance and a tumbling event win weren’t enough to overcome a team event that struggled with a fall in the acro portion for the second week in a row and a step off the mat in the tumbling portion.
Oregon joins multi-state effort to defend federal gun laws
By Lucas Hellberg City News Reporter
On Jan. 16, Oregon joined more than a dozen other states in defending a lawsuit against the federal government that seek to overturn gun regulations implemented during the Biden administration.
The move preceded Donald J. Trump’s inauguration as President on Jan. 20. During his campaign, Trump vowed to undo all federal gun regulations enacted during the Biden administration.
The case that Oregon joined as a defendant centers around rule enacted during the Biden administration that requires anyone selling
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Quacktavious, beloved pet duck, has passed away
Quacktavious, an adopted pet duck to owner Jeremy Jackson and a known campus-wide sensation, passed away on Feb. 19
By Jasmine Saboorian Campus News Editor
On Feb. 19, it was announced via Instagram that Quacktavious, a popular pet duck to owner and University of Oregon student Jeremy Jackson, passed away.
Quacktavious was registered as Jackson’s emotional support animal after he transferred from Mississippi State University to UO. Quacktavious was two years old at the time of his passing.
Jackson said that he felt that Quacktavious had a positive and “huge” impact on students daily during his lifetime.
“There’s so many people who saw me or (direct messaged) me or whatever, they just were like, ‘Quacktavious brought me so much joy today,’ or ‘Quacktavious made my day today’ or anything along those lines,” Jackson said.
One thing that Jackson wants people to remember the most about Quacktavious is that he was always reminded that he was loved, he said.
According to Jackson, this initial media day brought many more opportunities for Quacktavious to be featured with other athletics teams.
“The second would be the first time we went to Dexter Lake because from that moment on, he fell in love with the lake,” Jackson said.
Jackson said that every time he and Quacktavious went to Dexter Lake, Quacktavious would try to “run across the parking lot to go jump in the water.”
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“I made sure that he knew that the people here loved him,” Jackson said. “There’s no way he probably understands what Instagram is, but I show him at times things that people would say or pictures that people took of him.”
When Jackson was asked what his favorite memories with Quacktavious were, he said there were two that “stand out.”
“One was the first media day we did, which was with the women’s tennis team, just because from that day forward, so many opportunities happened,” Jackson said.
“I kid you not, we showed up, and he dove into the water like he’s never been in water before… but yeah he had so much fun and it was always a good time anytime we went,” Jackson said. Jackson said he is unsure of the cause of death of Quacktavious.
“I honestly don’t even know how it happened, like he was good in the days leading up he was good,” Jackson said. “Last night (Feb. 18) I fed him and then I got back from (physical therapy) this morning and I went in to check on him and he was gone.”
A memorial was held for Quacktavious in front of the Lillis Business Complex on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. As observed, there were about 60 to 70 people who attended the memorial.
(Noa Schwartz/ Emerald)
(FAR LEFT ) Students attend the memorial of Quacktavious. Quacktavious was a duck owned by Jeremy Jackson who became a local University of Oregon celebrity
( BOTTOM RIGHT ) A student gives his respects to Jeremy Jackson.
(Miles Cull/Emerald)
Oregon joins multi-state effort to defend federal gun laws
Oregon has joined a coalition of states defending federal gun safety regulations in federal court amid Trump’s efforts to roll them back
firearms to undergo background checks. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives enacted the rule following the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in 2022. The rule aims to close the “gun show loophole” by requiring private sellers to perform background checks, ensuring that every firearm transaction is subject to the same background process performed by licensed firearm dealers.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield said the actions taken by Oregon and other states are proactive steps that aim to protect the federal gun regulations if the Trump administration abandons the defense of the lawsuit.
“I am proud to join (the effort) to defend the modest gains our federal government has made on gun safety,” Rayfield said in a statement.
The federal lawsuit unfolds as Measure 114, an Oregon gun control measure, remains stalled in court. The measure, which voters narrowly passed in 2022, would require a firearm safety course and a permit to purchase a firearm in Oregon. It also would ban the sale or transfer of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds and end the “Charleston Loophole,” which allows firearm dealers to release a firearm to a buyer after three days if their background check has not cleared.
“We applaud the Oregon Attorney General in defending policies that can save lives and keep our communities safe,” Alliance for a Safe Oregon Executive Director Jess Marks said.
Oregon Firearms Federation Director Kevin Starrett called the lawsuit Oregon is defending in court a waste of taxpayer money.
“(Rayfield) has no idea what he is up against and will continue to spend millions of Oregonian’s dollars to promote an agenda,” Starrett said.
Dr. Kathleen Carlson is the director of Oregon Health and Sciences University’s Gun Violence Prevention Research Center. She studies the epidemiology of gun violence.
“The more prevention mechanisms we have in place, the fewer deaths we see. Science supports that,” Carlson said.
The lawsuit follow a recent federal court case that saw 40-year-old Springfield resident Andrew Rogers sentenced to six years in federal prison for illegally manufacturing more than 100 semi-automatic firearms and silencers. Prosecutors said that investigators found a 3D printer with a partially printed part for an AR-15 rifle in Roger’s possession.
“In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed House Bill 2005, which prohibits the sale, manufacture and possession of unserialized guns or gun parts … (Prior) cases like Andrew Rogers’ motivated this change and show how important meaningful gun violence prevention laws are,” Marks said.
Marks said that the law has helped law enforcement keep ghost guns off the streets but stressed the need for more work to stop illegal firearms from entering communities.
Oregon State Shooting Association President Kerry Spurgin also addressed the Roger case, emphasizing the importance of legal compliance among responsible gun owners.
“As responsible gun owners, we follow the law. In the Springfield case, laws were broken, and the ATF caught and prosecuted (Rogers),” Spurgin said.
On Feb. 7, Trump issued an executive order that aims to protect Second Amendment rights. As part of the order, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was directed to review all federal agency actions that may infringe on Second Amendment rights and present a proposed plan of action to Trump within 30 days.
It is not clear yet whether the federal government will stop defending the two federal lawsuit as part of Bondi’s plan of action. Court records still list the ATF as a defendant in both cases.
Eugene expands tree canopy to combat inequity and climate change
City-led and community-driven efforts aim to increase Eugene’s tree canopy to 30%, focusing on underserved neighborhoods to provide environmental, economic and social benefits
By Ceci Cronin City News Reporter
As part of Eugene’s 2020 Climate Action Plan, the city’s urban forestry program is working toward increasing the tree canopy coverage to 30% by 2030, concentrating on underserved and lower-income neighborhoods in Eugene.
“We want to plant because it allows the community to receive all of the tangible and intangible benefits that trees offer,” Spencer Crawford, a city urban forestry specialist, said. “That includes lower heating bills from shade, and studies even show that lifespans of people living near trees are longer.”
According to the city’s Climate Action plan, in 2020 the average tree canopy cover in Eugene was roughly 23%. Beginning in 2020, the city aimed to increase canopy coverage by 3% annually until 2025. This year, the city is aiming to increase canopy coverage by 7% annually until the year 2030.
The city’s planting initiatives aim to address environmental and social inequities. “Our program is focused on the trees we actively plant in areas that have been defined as having inequity: areas of lower-income households, lower employment and more economic diversity,” Crawford said.
Local environmental groups share this priority, and Erik Burke, the director of Eugene’s Friend of Trees organization, emphasized the impor-
tance of community involvement.
“Our priority is to plant in underserved, low canopy (and) low-income areas,” Burke said. “People tend to trust their neighbors more than they trust the government or people from a nonprofit. The more community-led the effort, the better.”
Burke described one of these community-led efforts, “A community religious group in west Eugene is going door to door to 400 homes, offering free or discounted trees to residents in an underserved neighborhood in West Eugene.”
Nature itself plays a significant role in Eugene’s urban tree canopy. Burke said it’s generally assumed that in cities about 80% of trees planted by nature and about 20% are by humanity.
However, ensuring the right trees are planted in the right places requires intention and effort. Burke said he believes engaging people in hands-on work fosters a stronger connection to their work. “People learn and become connected to things through physical work in the convivial company of others,” he said. Beyond immediate tree-planting efforts, Burke said he believes a longterm cultural shift is essential to sustaining Eugene’s urban tree canopy and forestation worldwide. “We need to invest in generations of effort to help each other relearn stewardship skills,” he said. “The biggest longterm solution is to change our way of life.”
Everything students should know if UOSW votes to strike
fair and timely compensation as well as grievances and arbitration articles.
Grievance and arbitration allow employees to file grievances against employers if they feel that a part of their contract is violated, a third party then helps investigate and resolve the dispute.
Fair and timely wage compensation refers to fair payment that reflects the work being performed and delivered in a timely manner. Current UO student workers are paid between $14.20 to $18.00 per hour, according to the 2023 to 2024 Student Wage Rate. The proposal from UOSW would increase student wages to a minimum of $24 per hour.
“These are basic protections that student workers deserve, and I hope that our fellow students (and) our fellow community members stand with,” Marshall said.
QWhere is UOSW and UO administration currently in the bargaining process, and what is the most recent update?
While in mediation, UOSW and UO are presenting and negotiating proposals. The process is supervised and facilitated by a state-appointed mediator.
Eight tentative agreements have been reached between UOSW and UO with 54 current proposals and counter proposals still on the table, according to the UOSW list of proposals.
Most recently, according to Marshall, the two sides came to a tentative agreement on Feb. 19 on the article surrounding discipline and discharge, which included just cause.
Discipline and discharge means that an em-
Timeline of bargaining process
ployer cannot punish or fire an employee without “just cause” or adequate reason to do so.
Marshall and UOSW consider this agreement to be a “huge win” for the union.
Should UOSW go on strike, when could it potentially begin?
The exact timeline for a potential strike is still unknown and something both sides are hoping to avoid.
“It’s all up in the air, and we are wanting to continue to bargain in earnest with the university as long as the university is showing they’re also willing to bargain in earnest as well. The earliest that our union members could go on strike is early spring term, but again, it’s something that our members have to decide to do and vote to authorize,” Marshall said.
Follow other campus unions who work closely with UOSW
United Academics of the University of Oregon Instagram: @uauoregon
The Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation Instagram: @gtff3544
Follow Daily Emerald for updates
Instagram: @dailyemerald
Stay up to date on proposals/ counter proposals and tentative agreements on the UO Human Resources page
With no progress made, the university requests mediation with the state’s Employment Relations Board Oct.
There are several steps in the bargaining process, which include bargaining, mediation and a 30-day cool-down period.
In an email statement to the Emerald, UO spokesperson Eric Howald said of the ongoing negotiations, “We value our student employees and their meaningful contribution to the university’s operations. We are committed to the negotiations with them and believe, in the end, we will come together for a good contract to provide consistency and guidance to students and supervisors.”
How long could a potential strike last?
According to Marshall, a strike would last until an agreement is made between the university and the union.
“The strike would last until an agreement is made. If the university agrees to a fair contract with us and then the agreement is ratified by our members, (the strike would end),” Marshall said.
Are union members doing anything to prepare students for a potential strike?
“We are doing a lot of organizing on the ground. We recently held our big open membership meeting (and) hundreds of student workers agreed to hold a strike authorization vote if necessary. Right now, hundreds of student workers are talking to each other to pledge to vote in the strike authorization vote, if needed, and to strike, if needed,” Marshall said.
A strike authorization is a vote that gives bargaining members the ability to call a strike.
How will everyday students be impacted by a potential strike?
According to Marshall, a strike is a last resort if the university does not engage with the union for a fair contract; but should it happen, adequate notice and preparation time would be given by the union beforehand.
“The bottom line for us is that the goal is not to strike. The goal is to win a fair contract,” Marshall said. “It comes down to how the university works with us, and how they keep negotiating with us; and we hope that our fellow commu-
nity members and students stand with us if we strike because these are for basic protections that we’re fighting for.”
Is the university expected to hire “scabs”?
A “scab” is a term for a worker hired by an employer to take the place of a striking union member.
“It’s entirely possible that the university will try to hire students to try and replace student workers if we go on strike. If that happens, then everybody will get a bad deal… The thing is, we’re fighting for a contract that will create better working conditions, not just for student workers working now but for the future and beyond,” Marshall said.
4,000 workers across roughly 60 departments on campus
Number verified by Izzie Marshall, Student Worker
Where on campus do students work?
According to Marshall, there are 60 different departments of student workers across campus, ranging from dining halls to the museum.
“We’re everywhere on campus,” Marshall said. According to Marshall, places students work include, but are not limited to:
Resident assistants
People who help run programs in the EMU
Tutors
Teaching assistants
Research assistants
Undergraduate students working for an academic department on campus
Students who work at the Rec Center
Childcare
Health services
Campus planning Facility management
The Education Department
Enrollment
The Honors College
Housing School of Journalism and Communication
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art School of Law
Union members can cast their ballots in the strike authorization vote, which opens March 3 and runs through March 14, according to a post on Instagram. Marshall said they hope students and community members can understand why UOSW is fighting for a fair contract and why a potential strike could happen.
(COVER) Members of the University of Oregon Student Workers Union and supporters gather to protest the recent contract offer from the University of Oregon. Some of the UO Student Workers’ grievances include a lack of nondiscrimination protections and an offer that included resident assistants having to pay part of their room costs.
(LEFT) University of Oregon Student Workers Union members and and supporters are seen in front of Johnson Hall on Feb. 25, protesting the recent contract offer from the University of Oregon.
(BELOW) University of Oregon Student Workers members lay a sign by the door of Lawrence Hall spelling out what their demands toward UO are. Some members committed themselves to staying inside Johnson Hall until their demands were met during a protest on Feb. 25.
(Miles Cull/Emerald)
Potential impact of strike on campus — what campus could look like based off strikes at other universities:
Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 in California went on strike on Feb. 26 to Feb. 27, 2024.
Impact on dining halls: Some dining halls on campus were temporarily closed. For dining halls that remained open, menus were consolidated. Delivery of food at those dining halls also changed, with buffet and sit-down dining options turning into to-go options only. Food trucks were also brought.
Additional impacts of UCLA dining hall workers strike: Disruption to campus, including unclean dishes at dining halls and less cooked food.
According to a statement from Oregon State University sent to OSU students ahead of a potential SEIU strike The impact on OSU’s campus:
Food services on the Corvallis campus were “curtailed” to peak eating hours, as well as coffee shops on campus.
Student health services were limited to emergency care only, during limited hours.
Eighth bargaining session held Last direct bargaining session held Tentative
Nov. 14, 2024
Feb. 14, 2025
Third mediation session held Tentative agreement reached on dues Ddduction proposals, hiring and job posting proposals and personnel files
27, 2025
UOSW holds study-in Feb. 25, 2025
Union votes to proceed with strike authorization vote in open meeting
March 3, 2025 Strike authorization vote opens for union members, runs through March 14
Which term system is better?
By Leo Heffron Opinion Columnist
Leo is an opinion columnist for the Daily Emerald. He is a third-year student studying journalism and Spanish. Leo enjoys writing about many topics, but fashion and social media are his favorites.
The quarter system seems to catch a lot of flak here at the University of Oregon. Many compare our short 10-week quarter system with the longer 15-to-16-week semester system, which most universities in the United States use.
I have changed my major three times while attending universities with quarter systems. I started as a communications major, then switched to sociology and not even a quarter later, I was a journalism major.
This is thanks to the quarter system, which allows much more flexibility and exploration than the semester system.
The quarter system allowed me the freedom to figure things out without derailing my graduation timeline.
A semester system would limit me to two sets of classes per-year, while quarters offer three, creating more opportunities to explore.
Students have fewer chances to explore majors in semesters, and taking extra time to decide on a major can become costly.
This is important for freshmen who don’t have a plan. Not everyone enters college knowing their passion.
Roland Armstrong, a junior accounting major at the UO, is completing his first year in the quarter system. He transferred from Boston College, a semester-based school.
He agrees that more classes are a plus but said, “A semester class is almost the same as two-quarter classes when you account for syllabus week, midterms and finals.”
A rushed curriculum is something Armstrong felt affected his education. Semester systems offer
The quarter system gets a lot of hate, but is it deserving?
a deeper dive into classes. However, I like to think the quarter system prepares students for the work environment, which often means meeting deadlines on short notice.
Another common complaint is the misalignment of our academic calendar with summer opportunities. Some agree that the quarter system makes it difficult to lock down summer jobs and internships.
“People are limited when they can only do internships in Oregon that are curated to the quarter system,” Armstrong said. “If the state was more unified with the whole country, more students from Oregon could go out of state for internships, and students from other states could come here.”
The quarter system does interfere with companies’ internship schedules outside Oregon. However, UO mitigates this with internship programs that work around the quarter system.
While multiple factors impact graduation rates, a paper by the IZA Institute of Economics suggests that students who switch to the semester system reduce their graduation rates by 3.7 percentage points.
According to the paper, “The cost to students of this increase in time-to-degree is substantial and includes both the added tuition and the lost earnings from the additional time spent enrolled.”
This is valuable information for students fond of switching to the semester system considering the impacts this transition could cause.
Diego Mauricio Cortés, an assistant professor of media studies at UO, has a similar take. He’s taught in both systems.
“I’m happy with the quarter system,” Cortés said. “I don’t think the quality of education will change a lot if we go to semesters.”
Cortés pointed out a fix for the fast-paced learning that many complain about.
“This could be resolved by providing classes in a sequence system, so you have theory one quarter and then apply those theories to practice in the next quarter,” Cortés said.
Switching to a semester system would also be difficult. A term system is more than just a calendar. Universities would fall victim to significant costs, updating schedules, websites and course structures.
The quarter system needs improvement, but I enjoy its fast-paced rigor and the ability to explore different areas of study. I hope it’s here to stay.
Behind the stage: women and designers
The University Theatre spotlighted the power of women with their production “POTUS Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive”
Seira Kitagawa Arts & Culture Writer
On a rainy Saturday on Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m., there was a line of approximately 20 people outside Hope Theatre trying to secure a ticket for University Theatre’s production of “POTUS Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive.” The show started at 7:30 p.m. and was the second to last performance for a show that began the weekend of Feb. 7.
Nina Bain, a junior neuroscience student at UO, attended the Feb. 22 showing with a friend. “I think it was very powerful that a bunch of girls represented such an important topic,” Bain said. She appreciated how women were in the spotlight of the play and that POTUS’s face was not even in the show.
Throughout the play, there were multiple scenes where the casts ran around on stage, chasing each other and generating many laughs from the audience. With its comedic tone, this play had an energetic impression on many.
While the actors drew the most attention from the audience, what happens on the surface is not the whole story. Costume designers, sound and light crews and stage designers are essential to make a play happen on stage.
Holden Fershee, the lighting designer for the show, uses intentional lighting strategies to guide the viewer’s interpretation of the show. Like other backstage designers, Fershee first reads the script to grasp the story and then thinks about what kind of feeling the scene should evoke.
Fershee’s favorite scene is when one of the characters sings a song on stage toward the end of the play. He dramatized the scene by setting the lights to make the stage
look like a concert.
“There are so many people who helped us that the audience doesn’t see,” Annika McNair, the costume designer, said. For example, Ayano Yamada operates the lighting across the entire show every night. Throughout the production, Yamada and her team stand in a room on the second floor where they can see the stage from a window.
Throughout the play and intermission, the playlist, “Bitch Beats,” with songs such as “Roar” by Katy Perry, “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift and “Girl on Fire” by Alicia Keys, pulsed through the theatre. Story Arney, the sound designer, created the playlist to keep the audience engaged in the upbeat vibe.
At the end of the production, a panel was held by the faculty and student directory. The panel was made up of seven women from political and leadership roles locally and statewide. State Representative Lisa Fragala and Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson were among those who shared at the panel. Prepared questions were asked to the panelists, and it lasted for an hour.
When the host asked what motivated the panelists to pursue their work, Representative Fragala shared her personal experience growing up in a single-mother household. She shared the struggles her family faced, but more importantly, she shared her realization of the social inequity that her mother confronted as a woman and how it impacted her and her family personally.
The other panelists also shared their “why” to pursue a career in politics and leadership as a woman. Several of them emphasized the importance of encouraging younger generations to pursue their dreams and to “never give up,” as Fragala said.
(Molly McPherson/Emerald)
Holden Fershee talks through the process of designing the lighting for a theater production.
Oregon women’s basketball NCAA Tournament resume review
Where does the Ducks’ postseason likelihood lie?
From the press box: Winning in various ways
Reflecting on Oregon acrobatics and tumbling vs. Baylor and the season ahead
During the bye week, the Daily Emerald’s beat writer looks back at Oregon’s lone loss of the young season and what it means for 2025
It’s a frustrating spot for the Ducks, who have continually performed in the nation’s top echelon but can’t get over the hump. This was a missed opportunity, and a big one. The season isn’t over, though.
The benefit of Oregon’s monster schedule is that it provides several more of these chances — and a bye week before the team to reboot.
There was a lot to like from the Ducks’ performances through two weeks: a perfect 10.0 score against
Baylor proved that the pyramid event is still going to be an anchor for head coach Taylor Susnara’s program, and freshmen who have already put up some of the team’s best scores will continue to gain collegiate competition experience.
Oregon faces No. 2 Quinnipiac University, No. 3 Gannon University, No. 5 University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and No. 8 Iona University in the next four meets. Each will be an ample test, one that will prepare them for another bout with the Baylor Bears on April 5. Susnara talked about the nerves of the meet, which she said after the Baylor meet got to Oregon during the team event. She’s looked to install mental strength throughout her tenure in Eugene, and it’ll be a major boost if she can bring that philosophy to new athletes over the break.
Some of that learning will have to be on the road, where Oregon hasn’t been yet this year. The Ducks opened their season with their only four home meets of the year. Two (Gannon and UMHB) remain to be competed at Matthew Knight Arena, but Oregon heads to the East Coast afterward for meets with Iona and Quinnipiac. The program went 2-1 in true road meets (non-championship) last year, but didn’t win against a team ranked higher than sixth and lost its only top-five matchup to No. 1 Baylor.
Despite a disappointing result and persistent mistakes through the first two weeks, the door is still open for Oregon. The Ducks have done more than enough to prove they can compete with top teams — even if resulted in a loss against the Bears — and should take confidence into the gauntlet of meets that await. If they head into their April 5 date against Baylor with wins in their pocket, they’ll have another shot at the champs.
TOMORROW
March 4, 2025
Oregon vs. Utah Tech
The Mens Basketball Team gears up to play Utah Tech
Oregon softball surges to best start in years
New faces are making a big difference for Melyssa Lombardi’s Ducks
By Joe Krasnowski Sports Reporter
A strong showing for a pair of Oregon softball players featured a new, coveted designation: best in the country.
Two days after the Ducks wrapped up their undefeated 5-0 Mary Nutter Classic, Lyndsey Grein was honored as the NFCA National Pitcher of the Week. Rylee McCoy’s performance was also honored, bringing home D1 Softball’s National Freshman of the Week honors.
Grein, the NCAA leader with nine wins this season, and McCoy, who has been a staple at the top of the Ducks’ lineup and is tied for second in the Big Ten with seven home runs by late February, both took home the Big Ten’s weekly honors as best pitcher and best freshman.
Perhaps no two players better represent the Ducks’ recent surge than McCoy and Grein. Both newcomers have filled their roles with ease, helping add some stability to a team that lost seven seniors a year ago.
Oregon’s hype train was already rolling after the Ducks lost just one game — in extra innings — over their first pair of weekends. But, the Mary Nutter Classic provided a different kind of challenge for them to prove their mettle.
Over that undefeated weekend, Oregon defeated five teams that played in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
“I love this team,” head coach Melyssa Lombardi said. “I love the way they compete. The hard work they’ve been putting in — they’re starting to reap the harvest. They’re starting to understand their identity. This was a big weekend for us.”
Grein and McCoy have certainly been lauded for their strong performances, but the rest of the roster has included its fair share of breakouts, as well.
Other freshmen Stefini Ma’ake and Emma Cox — who were both named the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Week in weeks prior — have been terrific at the top of the Ducks’ lineup. Elise Sokolsky has built upon her strong 2024 with a 2.92 ERA in the circle through three tournaments.
At 15-1, the Ducks are off to their best start since 2021 (24-1), while playing all 16 of their first games on the road. Oregon will look to continue its hot start at home, hosting tournaments starting Fed. 28 and March 7.
Read story at dailyemerald.com
