Gymnastics Posts Championship-Caliber Performance In the Classroom
1/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - As the Alabama gymnastics team start the 2015 season this Friday against Arizona, the Crimson Tide has already produced a championship-caliber performance in the classroom.
Dana Duckworth's first squad as a head coach tallied better than a 3.7 team grade point average in the fall, one of the highest in school history.
"I'm extremely proud of how our ladies came in the fall and worked so hard in the classroom," Duckworth said. "I think one of the hallmarks of a champion is the burning desire to be the best you can be in everything you do. To maintain the level of academic excellence that our program has enjoyed for so many years is a huge point of pride for our staff and our ladies."
All 17 gymnasts on this year's roster earned a fall grade point average of 3.1 or better, including five who produced perfect 4.0 GPAs on the way to earning President's List honors, and 11 who posted 3.5 or better GPAs, earning Dean's List honors.
Junior Lauren Beers, the defending NCAA Elite 89 Award winner, continued her perfect marks in the classroom with her fall 4.0 GPA. She was joined in the 4.0 group by sophomore Aja Sims and freshmen Mackenzie Brannan and Jennie Loeb.
Senior Kayla Williams, who graduated in August 2014 with a degree in public relations, posted a 4.0 in her first semester of graduate school where she is pursuing a master's degree in sports management.
Sophomores Keely McNeer, Mary Lillian Sanders and Mackenzie Valentin along with freshman Nickie Guerrero all posted better than a 3.8 GPA in the fall while senior Lora Leigh Frost and sophomore Aja Sims both earned a fall GPA of better than 3.6.
Alabama's freshman four of Brannan, Guerrero, Loeb and Kiana Winston all posted better than a 3.3 GPA to get their Crimson Tide careers off to a strong start.
"It is so important for our ladies to establish a great foundation to their collegiate careers and freshmen certainly embraced that in the fall," Duckworth said. "I'm very proud of the way they came in and made the most of the resources and opportunities that were put in front of them."
In addition to the five gymnasts with 4.0s for the fall semester, five Alabama gymnasts carry the perfect academic tally for their careers, including Beers, Brannan, Loeb, McNeer and Williams. William' 4.0 is for her graduate school career.
Players Mentioned
