PITTSBURGH — The 15th-ranked Duquesne acrobatics & tumbling team continues its three-meet homestand to close the regular season Sunday, hosting No. 14 LIU at 3 p.m. inside the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

MEET INFO  
No. 14 LIU (2-4) vs. No. 15 Duquesne Dukes (3-2)
Sunday, March 16 • 3:00 PM • UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse (Pittsburgh, PA)
Free Admission

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• LIVE SCORING
• NCATA MEET FORMAT

THE DUKES
Roster • Schedule • Team Scores • Individual Scores

• Duquesne is competing in its inaugural season and was ranked No. 15 in the NCATA Preseason Poll — the only first-year program among seven debuting in 2025 to earn a ranking. A total of 47 teams are competing across the multi-divisional NCATA this season.
• The DU roster features 33 student-athletes, 31 are freshmen. Bases Alia Ellis (Iona transfer) and Abby McDermott (Glenville State transfer) are the only two on the roster with prior A&T experience before the season opener. Full season preview, click here.
• SEASON NOTES
  • The Dukes are averaging 251.221 points during its inaugural season.
  • In its last meet, Duquesne posted a season-high 256.210 and set program records in seven heats against nine-time national champion No. 1 Baylor. The Dukes won the open pyramid and trio pass tumbling heats in the 275.030-256.210 loss. DU recorded season bests in all three acro heats, totaling a season-high 27.50 in the event. Additional season highs came in synchronized toss, open toss, open pyramid, and compulsory tumbling, while the team matched its best toss event score of 26.30.
  • The Dukes opened with a statement win over No. 3 Gannon (253.060–251.320) on Feb. 7 inside the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse, overcoming a halftime deficit with a 3.1-point edge in tumbling before sealing the victory in the team event.
  • In their first road meet, Duquesne defeated West Liberty 252.515–239.795, using a 4.05-point tumbling advantage to take control and pulled away in the team event.
  • DU improved to 3-0 with a dominant 254.215–140.375 win over Missouri State on Feb. 22, winning 18 of 19 heats and setting a program high in the toss event (26.30).
  • The Dukes suffered their first loss at No. 8 Iona (252.975–245.095) on March 3 despite winning the team event and recording season highs in the six-element acro heat (8.20/9.20) and synchronized pyramid (9.35/9.90).
  WEEKLY HONORS
  • Sienna Johnson earned NCATA Honorable Mention Freshman of the Week after scoring 71.2 out of a possible 75.85 points over eight heats in the Missouri State win. Johnson set season highs in the aerial pass (9.250/9.55), compulsory toss (9.70/10), compulsory acro (9.05/10), and six-element acro (8.10/9.25). The Mount Airy, Md., native made her debut in the open toss, posting a 9.05 — Duquesne's first nine-plus score in a toss event this season—and played a key role across all elements of the team event.
  • Freshman Mia Dipner was named NCATA National Freshman of the Week after the Gannon meet. The local Pittsburgh product competed in a team-high 10 heats plus the team event. Dipner was instrumental in the Dukes' top-scoring heats, including the compulsory pyramid (9.65), inversion pyramid (9.65), and open pyramid (9.65), and contributed to a 9.9-level pyramid in the team event.

SCOUTING LIU
Roster • Schedule/Results

• No. 14 LIU is in its second year as a program and enters 2-4 this season averaging 240.648 points.
• The Sharks have won two of their last three with wins over Morgan State (242.120 - 235.420) and No. 9 Frostburg State (250.075 - 243.125).
• All four losses have been to opponents in the NCATA top-10, including No. 1 Baylor, No. 2 Quinnipiac, No. 6 Fairmont State and No. 8 Iona.
• LIU eclipsed a 250 total in each of their last two meets with a season-high 255.775 in the loss at No. 6 Fairmont State and 250.075 last time out in the win at No. 9 Frostburg State.
• Last season, the Sharks won six straight to end their inaugural season 6-4.

IN THE NEWS

• Duquesne headlined a national feature on the sport of Acrobatics & Tumbling by the Associated Press. Click here to read the AP article.
• Click here to read about the Dukes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published this week as well. 

UP NEXT
Duquesne will conclude its inaugural regular season on Sunday, April 6 versus Buffalo State. The meet is set for 3:00 pm inside the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse.

FOLLOW THE DUKES
Follow the Duquesne Acrobatics and Tumbling team all season online at GoDuquesne.com and on Twitter (X) and Instagram (@duqacrotumb).

ABOUT ACROBATICS & TUMBLING
For more information on the sport of Acrobatics & Tumbling, visit TheNCATA.org.