Published: 08/18/2021
Assistant Coach, Brandy Duren
The Gannon acrobatics and tumbling program has added to its coaching staff with the addition of former University of Oregon great
Brandy Duren it was announced Tuesday afternoon.
Duren arrives at Gannon after spending the last three years as the head coach at Arizona Christian University, where she started the program from scratch. The Firestorm's inaugural season was 2019, before it competed for two more seasons under Duren.
"I am excited to announce Brandy Duren the newest member of our acrobatics and tumbling coaching staff," said Gannon head coach
Jacquie Eshleman.
"Brandy impressed me with her level of commitment to the team, program, and sport. She is a focused young woman with the spirit and passion that matches well with the student-athletes and will continue to help push the program to the next level. Brandy has an incredible resume that includes building a program from scratch and being a national champion at the University of Oregon. I am excited to have her here and eager to have our student-athletes on campus to start our pursuit of a national championship."
A record-breaking inaugural season in 2019 saw the Firestorm set a program-best team score of 256.970 during a tri-meet against top-ranked Baylor and Hawaii Pacific in the season finale. The first ACU program win came against Concordia-Wisconsin (251.380- 240.520). Two days later, Arizona Christian swept a tri-meet against Adrian College and Urbana. The Firestorm established their largest score differential victory (120.905) against Urbana.
"I am honored and excited to come alongside Coach Eshleman as an assistant coach for the Golden Knights acrobatics and tumbling team," said Duren. "I am thrilled for the opportunity to coach hungry and hard-working student-athletes who are ready to make history. I've been itching for the chance to work with likeminded and competitive individuals, and Gannon is the perfect place to hit the ground running and join that pursuit of excellence.
"From my student-athlete experience at the University of Oregon and winning three national championships to my four years (1st year without competition) spent as the head coach building the ACU Acrobatics and Tumbling Team at the NAIA level, I am well prepared and eager to take on the role of an assistant coach at a well-established program here at Gannon University. I am beyond grateful for my past, but I am excited for my future."
Arizona Christian produced eight National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA) Academic Honor Roll members at the conclusion of their first season.
Duren started the ACU program after competing for four years (2012-15) as a top for the University of Oregon. She helped the Ducks win three consecutive NCATA National Championships and finish as the NCATA runner-up during her final season.
In 2015, Duren graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelors in sociology.