<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:-webkit-standard;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style>
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:right">
<a name="_Hlk490052374"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS –
</span></b></a><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">July 1, 2022<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Baylor A&T Tabs Oates as Assistant Coach<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Two-time national champion rejoins her alma mater in coaching role</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">For more information contact:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> Madelon Allen, 254-252-7168,
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Madelon_Allen@Baylor.edu<span style="color:black">
</span></span><b><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
</span><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><br>
<strong><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">WACO, Texas –</span></strong></span></b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"> Baylor acrobatics & tumbling and head coach Felecia Mulkey have finalized
the addition of Courtney (Pate) Oates as an assistant coach for the program, announced Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">“To say that I am excited to have Courtney back at Baylor is an understatement," said Mulkey. "She has proven herself as a coach at the Division
II and III level by building two programs from the ground up. She is clearly a fantastic coach, but she is an even better human. She loves the sport of Acrobatics & Tumbling and she loves Baylor. I know that she will make a huge impact on our student-athletes
and our entire program.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Oates comes to Baylor after spending three seasons in her hometown of Belton, serving as the head coach of the A&T program at UMHB.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">“The sport of acrobatics & tumbling continues to impact my life in such large ways,” said Oates. “I’m incredibly grateful for the path it’s led me
on. Baylor University has forever held a special place in my heart. I’m beyond honored to have the privilege to work with such a profound program of athletes and staff while being back on Baylor ground.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Oates was hired by the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in February of 2019 to start and build the UMHB Acrobatics and Tumbling program. The Cru
Acrobatics & Tumbling program began competition in the spring of 2020. UMHB hosted four-time defending National Champion Baylor University in its inaugural meet, and the Cru earned the program's first victory in its next meet at East Texas Baptist.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">UMHB finished with a 1-1 record after that inaugural season was cut short and cancelled in March. Oates went on to guide the Cru to 3-3 records each
of the last two seasons. They swept the NCATA’s Division III awards in 2022 and placed 23 student-athletes on the NCATA academic honor roll.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">She has twice had the opportunity to start an Acrobatics and Tumbling program in her young coaching career. Before joining UMHB, she spent two years
at West Virginia Wesleyan College as that school’s inaugural coach. Oates was hired in January of 2017 and spent a year recruiting to the program before guiding the Bobcats to a 4-4 record in their first season of competition in the spring of 2018. Oates also
spent one semester as a volunteer assistant coach at Baylor University. She is a Belton native, and her father, Jerry Pate, served as an athletic trainer for UMHB and Baylor.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Oates is a 2016 graduate of Baylor University with a degree in studio art with a concentration in photography. She was a four-year letter winner
for the Baylor Athletics and Tumbling program and won two Team National Championships with the Bears (2015, 2016). Oates also won three individual National Championships during her time at Baylor.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">She was a three-time Academic All-Big 12 selection and was also named to the Academic All-Big 12 Rookie Team as a freshman. Oates was an eight-time
Big 12 Commissioners Honor Roll and Dean’s List selection during her collegiate career. She is also a graduate of Belton High School, where she was a four-time All-American cheerleader and a Regional Qualifier as a pole vaulter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Courtney (formerly Pate) and her husband, Gabe, were married in December of 2020. She is the daughter of Jerry and Vicki Pate. Her brother, Tyler,
is a UMHB graduate and played soccer for the Cru. Her younger sister, Cassidy, is a graduate of Baylor.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><br>
To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor acrobatics & tumbling, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorAcroTumb.<br>
<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><br>
<br>
<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;text-align:center;background:white">
<i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black;letter-spacing:.25pt">-BaylorBears.com-</span></i><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"-webkit-standard",serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:black">__________________________________</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:6.5pt;color:black"> </span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color:#385623">Madelon Allen</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#385623"> </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black">| </span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Associate
Director of Athletics Communications <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">VB, A&T, BaylorBears.com</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Department of Athletics | Baylor University<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">C: 254-252-7168<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img width="159" height="44" style="width:1.6562in;height:.4583in" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.png@01D88BC9.2E1D0210" alt="signature_925056550"></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>