Women's Gymnasts of the Week – Jan. 20-26, 2020
Gymnast of the Week awards are given by conference offices. More will be added throughout the week as they become available.
Big Ten Conference
Gymnast of the Week
Natalie Wojcik - Michigan
- Won or tied for the win on all four events and the all-around for the first time in her career with scores of 9.875 or better in the Wolverines’ win against Rutgers
- Claimed the outright title on beam (9.950), floor (9.900) and in the all-around (39.625), while tying for first on vault (9.900) and bars (9.875)
- Moved into third place at Michigan for career all-around scores of 39.600 or higher (eight times) and recorded a new career high on beam
Megan Verceles Carr - Nebraska
- Earned podium finishes on both of her events in Nebraska’s dual-meet victory at Michigan State
- Finished first on beam with a career-best score of 9.950, her first collegiate event title on the event
- Recorded a score of 9.875 to take silver on bars
Sierra Brooks - Michigan
- Recorded podium finishes on two of her events and in the all-around, highlighted by her second career 9.900 on beam, in the Wolverines’ dual meet victory against Rutgers
- Finished second on beam (9.900), floor (9.875) and in the all-around (39.375), took fifth on vault (9.775) and placed sixth on bars (9.825)
- Ranks 17th nationally on beam with an average score of 9.892
Big 12 Conference
Co-Gymnasts of the Week
Maddie Karr - Denver
Karr was tabbed as a Co-Gymnast of the Week after winning a share of the all-around title at the Metroplex Challenge, featuring No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 4 Denver, No. 5 Alabama and No. 18 Georgia. Her 39.650 total score matched the highest all-around total in the Conference last week. The senior tied her career-high on bars with a 9.975 to capture the title and help Denver to a 49.500 team total, the highest ever score at an away meet in Denver history. Karr added event titles on the beam and floor with 9.9s on both.
Anastasia Webb - Oklahoma
Webb earned Co-Gymnast of the Week honors after helping the top-ranked Sooners to the team title at the Metroplex Challenge and a share of the all-around title with a 39.650 score which tied for the highest in the Big 12 last week. The junior was the only all-around competitor to score a 9.9 or better on all four events. She matched her career-high on vault with a 9.95 total, while claiming a share of the beam and floor titles. Webb is the only Sooner currently on the team who has competed in every single meet of her career.
Specialist of the Week
Chloe Cluchey - West Virginia
Cluchey was named the Event Specialist of the Week after tallying a pair of clutch first-place victories in the Mountaineers’ home season opener. She matched her career-high score of 9.925 on floor to earn the outright victory, while finishing in a three-way tie for first on vault with a season-best 9.8. Cluchey has won the event title on floor in two meets this season, scoring below a 9.85 just once. The senior’s performance helped the Mountaineers to a season-high 196.025 team score that included a season-best 49.475 on floor.
Newcomer of the Week
Vanessa Deniz - Oklahoma
Deniz kept the Newcomer of the Week honor in Norman for the fourth consecutive week. She came up clutch in her collegiate debut, competing in in three events. She notched a 9.875 on bars and 9.650 on beam. The freshman was most impressive on floor where she tallied a 9.9 in the anchor spot to earn a share of the event title.
East Atlantic Gymnastics League
Gymnast of the Week
Drew Grantham - NC State
Senior Drew Grantham (Durham, N.C.) from NC State was voted EAGL Gymnast of the Week on January 28th after participating in five events, and placing first on beam (9.825), floor (9.875), and all-around (39.250). Drew also came in a tie for first place on bars (9.825), which ties a career-high. NC State (195.650) won their home opener meet this weekend against EAGL opponent Towson (193.975).
Specialist of the Week
Khazia Hislop - North Carolina
Senior Khazia Hislop (Concord, Mass.) of UNC earned EAGL Specialist of the Week honors on January 28th. Hislop did not score below a 9.800 on any of her three events this weekend, placing first on floor (9.900), tying for first on vault (9.850), and second on beam (9.800). UNC came back and defeated EAGL opponent Pittsburgh, with Hislop playing a large role in the comeback. This is the third week in a row she has earned the Specialist of the Week honor.
Rookie of the Week
Alyssa Worthington - New Hampshire
Freshman Alyssa Worthington (West Warwick, R.I.) of UNH was named as EAGL Rookie of the Week on January 28th. Worthington won first place on beam (9.900), setting a new career-high and making her the lone Wildcat to win an event. Worthington has improved her beam mark four straight meets and is ranked No. 5 in EAGL with an average score of 9.781.
Eastern College Athletic Conference – Division I
Gymnast of the Week
Mei Li Costa – Brown
Mei Li hit the school record and career high on bars with her beautiful routine. She had the highest score for the Bears on both vault and bars, leading the team to a season high.
Specialist of the Week
Natalie Yang – Penn
Sophomore, Natalie Yang, led all Penn scores of the day and finished 3rd with a 9.875 on beam as the Quakers hosted Rutgers in The Palestra. This matched her personal best and the fourth-best score in program history. She continues to show consistency and lead by example.
Rookie of the Week
Rebekah Lashley – Penn
Freshman, Rebekah Lashley scored a 9.750 on the floor exercise to finished second overall to help Penn top Rutgers on the event. She scored a 9.5 on vault and a 9.525 on the beam.
Coaches' Choice
Jacey Baldovino – Yale
Following a season ending injury last March, Jacey has fought back to compete for Yale once again, and she is already a key member in three of our line ups. For the second week in a row, Jacey executed a gorgeous bar routine while under pressure, and she scored a 9.775, which earned her 2nd place on the event. Then on beam, Jacey hit her strongest routine of the season and was rewarded with a new season high score, 9.8. Jacey closed out the meet by winning the floor exercise with a 9.75. Obviously, Jacey contributed three very high scores, which was instrumental to our team posting our highest team score of the season, thus far.
Eastern College Athletic Conference – Division II
Gymnast of the Week
Jessica Meakim – West Chester
For the third straight week in a row, Jessica went four for four in the all-around. This week she finished in first place with a 38.775. She was second on the vault with a 9.625, was third on the uneven parallel bars with a 9.650 and won floor exercise with a beautiful routine scoring a 9.825.
Specialist of the Week
Hayley Bangart – Bridgeport
Scoring two of her personal best scores and leading the Knights off strong on two events, Bangart was a standout in this weekend’s meet. She led off the meet with her 9.8 bar set with a stuck dismount. Hayley worked hard this week to change her floor routine and upgrade tumbling and it worked out for the team.
Rookie of the Week
Caitlin Gray – Bridgeport
Caitlin Gray continues to be consistent for the Knights. Scoring her personal best 9.7 with a near stick on her Yurchenko layout full and tying her personal best 9.675 on uneven bars with a stick on her dismount.
Coaches' Choice
Maya Reimer – Bridgeport
A typical standout and consistent anchor on beam, when Maya missed her leap/acro series, it took her out of contending for what could have been a near perfect score. With one judge flashing a 9.3, Maya knew that she had missed out on this opportunity. She went on to score a 9.85 to win floor and a season best 9.725 on vault with a stuck Yurchenko full.
Mid American Conference
Gymnast of the Week
Karlie Franz - Kent State
Kent State freshman Karlie Franz led the Golden Flashes to their second-consecutive quad victory. The freshman impressed the judges, winning the all-around competition with a career-high score of 39.200. Franz set career highs on floor (9.850) and bars (9.825) taking home the title on each event. She also recorded a 5th-place finish on beam (9.750) and a 6th-place finish on vault (9.775). Her career performance on floor helped the Flashes post a season-high 49.100 on the event.
Specialist of the Week
Claudia Goyco - Ball State
Junior Claudia Goyco placed first among 24 competitors as Ball State won its quad meet on Sunday. Her 9.900 floor routine was a career best. Goyco has registered a 9.800 or better on floor in each of the season’s three meets. Ball State won the meet with a team score of 194.200.
Midwest Independent Conference
Gymnast of the Week
Anna Kaziska - SEMO
Kaziska captured two event titles as Southeast registered a season-high team score of 191.450 this past Sunday at Ball State's Quad Meet. She won the beam title with her fourth personal-high score of 9.875 in the opening rotation. She also seized the all-around crown with a career-best total of 39.175 in the nine athlete competition. The Louisville, Kentucky native, finished as the runner-up at the quad on vault with a career-high 9.825 as SEMO posted a season-high total of 48.750 on the event in the third rotation. On floor, she notched her second score of 9.825 in 2020 for fourth at the meet.
Performance of the Week
Aleah Leman - Lindenwood
Leman competed on the vault and the floor in Lindenwood's quad meet at Texas Woman's University on Sunday. She led the Lions with a 9.850 on the vault, which set a new career-high for her. Leman also set a new season-high on the floor, finishing with a 9.725 during the event.
Newcomer of the Week
Angelica Labat - Illinois State
Last Friday, Labat won the all-around for the second time this season and posted career-best efforts on three events as ISU took down in-state rival NIU. She tied for first on bars with a season-high 9.825 and finished first in the all-around with a 38.800 to help the Redbirds post a season-high team score of 193.625. Labat also tallied season-best efforts on bars (9.825) and floor as well (9.850) in the victory over the Huskies.
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation
Gymnast of the Week
Taylor Chan - San Jose State
San Jose State senior Taylor Chan (Coquitlam, BC, Canada) won titles all-around (39.100) and floor (9.875) in leading the Spartans to a 2020 MPSF-high 194.675 against No. 21 Boise State and Seattle Pacific (Jan. 26). Chan became the first gymnast in the conference this year to break 39 all-around. She added a 9.80 on uneven bars, a second-place tie on vault (9.775), and helped the Spartans to an eighth-best balance beam total in school history of 48.950. This is the 12th career MPSF weekly honor for Chan (fifth as gymnast of the week).
Specialist of the Week
Kenadi Brown - Alaska-Anchorage
Alaska-Anchorage freshman Kenadi Brown (Las Vegas, NV) earned her first career all-around victory in the quad meet at UC Davis (Jan. 24), totaling 38.400 to beat out three other competitors. Brown recorded a team-best 9.775 on uneven bars, along with a 9.775 on beam, a 9.60 on floor exercise and a team-high-tying 9.55 on vault. Brown now owns UAA’s top two all-around performances this year. This is the second weekly MPSF freshman honor for Brown in the first four weeks of the year.
Freshman of the Week
Anna Salamone - Air Force
Air Force senior Anna Salamone (Bayport, NY) recorded two first-place finishes in a home dual with Utah State (Jan. 25). She posted a season-high 9.900 on the uneven bars and 9.850 on vault to win both events. Salamone’s score on the vault helped Air Force to its highest total of the season in the event (48.475). This is the eighth career weekly award for Salamone.
Mountain Rim Gymnastics Championship
Gymnast of the Week
Abbey Miner - BYU
For the third week in a row, Miner walked away with the MRGC All-Around title. Totaling a 39.350, she set a new career high in Cedar City.
Specialists of the Week
Co-Vault - Morgan Alfaro - Southern Utah
Co-Vault - Shannon Evans - BYU
Uneven Bars - Emily Muhlenhaupt - Boise State
Balance Beam - Sofi Sullivan - Utah State
Floor Exercise - Shannon Evans - BYU
National Collegiate Gymnastics Association East
Gymnast of the Week
Emily Speciales - Cortland
Speciale, from San Antonio, Texas, posted a career-high all-around score with her second-place effort of 37.70 in a dual meet at Centenary. Her score included a first-place finish on uneven bars with a career-high 9.675 along with a career-high tying 9.325 on vault and a season-best 9.25 on beam. She also recorded a 9.45 on floor exercise.
Specialist of the Week
Kamryn Rodriguez - Cortland
Rodriguez, from Middletown, N.Y., won balance beam with a career-best 9.775 and was second on floor with a season-best 9.725 during Cortland’s dual meet at Centenary College. Her beam score easily eclipsed her previous career high of 9.425.
Pac-12 Conference
Gymnast of the Week
Kyla Ross - UCLA
- Won the all-around with a score of 39.575, leading her team to a win over Stanford.
- Captured the first-place spot on bars (9.95) and floor (9.975).
- Tied for first place on vault with a score of 9.90.
Grace Glenn - UCLA
- Earned a first-place finish on beam with a score of 9.975.
- Tied her career-best score on beam.
- Helped the Bruins to a season-high team total on beam (49.375) in their win against Stanford.
Maile O'Keefe - Utah
- Secured first place in the all-around (39.225) in Utah’s victory over Arizona State.
- Posted career-highs on vault (9.80), bars (9.775), and floor (9.875).
- Contributed to season-high team totals on bars, beam and floor.
Taylor Lawson - Stanford
- Set career-highs on bars and beam against No. 3 UCLA.
- Scored a 9.85 on bars, 9.85 on beam, and 9.80 on floor.
- Majors in Human Biology.
Southeastern Conference
Gymnast of the Week
Trinity Thomas - Florida
Florida’s Trinity Thomas, a sophomore from York, Pa., won three event titles in the win over No. 8 LSU. Thomas claimed her eighth all-around win at 39.775, which ranks as the nation’s top all-around total of the week, No. 3 all-around of the season and her career best. She also won two apparatus titles: uneven bars (10.0) and floor exercise (9.975). Her 10.0 is the first in collegiate career. Thomas is the 14th Gator to earn a perfect mark and first since 2018.
Specialist of the Week
Helen Hu - Missouri
Missouri’s Helen Hu, a freshman from Chicago, Ill., won two event titles as Mizzou tallied a season-high 196.650 at No. 14 Auburn. Hu tied her career high of 9.95 to win the beam title. She also recorded a 9.925 to win the bars title.
Freshman of the Week
Kiya Johnson - LSU
LSU’s Kiya Johnson, a freshman from Dallas, Texas, was runner-up in the all-around with a 39.725 at No. 2 Florida. Johnson wrapped up the night by scoring LSU’s first perfect score of the season in the fifth spot of the beam lineup. She became the third LSU freshman to score a perfect 10 and the fourth LSU gymnast to do so on beam. Johnson also matched her career high of 9.975 on floor to win a share of the event title.
Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NCGA West)
All-Around
Annie Corbett - Gustavus Adolphus
Corbett helped the Gusties to a season-high score in a 185.450-180.650 dual meet loss to Hamline University (Minn.) on Jan. 24. She tied for first on vault with a career-high 9.500, took first on the uneven bars with a 9.375, took second on balance beam with a career-high 9.600 and third on the floor exercise with a 9.375. Corbett won the all-around competition with a career-high 37.800.
Specialist
Mikala Bugge - UW-Stout
Bugge led UW-Stout as the Blue Devils took the top five places in the floor exercise in the Blue Devils’ 187.550-181.000 win over Winona State University (Minn.) on Jan. 24. She scored a 9.750 on the floor exercise to lead the Blue Devils. Bugge also finished second on the vault (9.500) and fifth on the balance beam (9.550).