Bears Continue to Take Home Freshman and Specialist of the Week Awards
4/1/2026 2:30:00β―PM | Acrobatics & Tumbling
Arthur and McDonald Add Another NCATA Weekly Honor to Their Growing List of Awards
WACO, Texas β Mo Arthur earned her seventh consecutive weekly honor from the National Collegiate Acrobatics & Tumbling Association (NCATA), being named Freshman of the Week on Wednesday. She was joined by Leavy McDonald, who collected her third Specialist of the Week honor this season. Payton Washington joins them, earning an Honorable Mention for Athlete of the week
Arthur, a base from Owensville, Mo., competed in eight heats and the team event for Baylor last week.
She opened the meet in Compulsory Acro, scoring a 9.60/10 as a base. In Compulsory Pyramid, she earned a 9.85/10 competing as a mid-level. Arthur also based in Compulsory Toss, helping secure a 9.90/10.
In the 5-Element Acro heat, Mo competed "The Mo" as a base for the 4th time this season, scoring a 9.95/10 for the second week in a row, the highest it has scored since the new skill was introduced. "The Mo" is where the base is in a 2-hand handstand, and the top is in a straddle on the foot. Mo is the only female in the world to compete in this skill, including internationally competitive acrobatic gymnastics. We needed to submit these skills to the scoring committee for addition to the system, and they were assigned a high level of difficulty with a raw score of 11.
In Heat 1 Pyramid and Heat 2 Pyramid, she served as the sole mid-level, scoring a 9.95/10 and 9.85/10, respectively.Β
She continued her strong showing in Toss, serving as a base in Heat 2 Toss (9.65 out of 9.90) before earning a 9.80/10 in Heat 3 Toss.
In the Team Event, Arthur performed an elite acro sequence, successfully executing five of the 30 required acro skills, each with a start value of 10, completing the performance with precision and control.
McDonald claimed her 10th all-time NCATA weekly honor, competing in eight heats and the team event for the Bears last week. She led Baylor to eight scores of 9.60 or higher, demonstrating exceptional difficulty and execution across all events.Β
She competed as the base in Compulsory Acro (9.60/10), Compulsory Pyramid (9.85/10), and Compulsory Toss (9.90/10), showcasing elite body control, amplitude, and execution.Β
In Optional Acro, McDonald served as the sole base in the 7-Element heat, scoring 9.90/10.Β
She also served as a mid-level base in the Heat 2 Pyramid, earning 9.85/10. In Heat 3 Pyramid, helped secure a 9.85/10. Leavy served as the main base in the newly introduced slide to split 3-high pyramid. The two-man bases slide in sync to split, with two levels of structure on top of them, requiring elite strength, balance, and precise timing. She executed the skill with control and consistency.
McDonald competed in Heat 1 Toss (9.60/9.90) and Heat 2 Toss (9.65/9.90), serving as the base in both heats.Β
In the team event, Leavy performed an elite acro sequence, successfully executing five of the thirty required acro skills, each with a start value of 10. Her performance was marked by high-level execution and precision. Additionally, she competed as a base on one toss, further contributing to the routine's overall difficulty and execution.
NEXT UP
The Bears travel to Eugene, Oregon, to face #2 Oregon on Monday, April 6th at 8 p.m., streaming on ESPN+.
To stay up to date all year long on all things Baylor acrobatics & tumbling, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram: @BaylorAcroTumb.
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