Alabama Gymnastics Sets School Record with 19 NACGC/W Scholastic All-Americans
7/25/2017 1:35:00 PM | Gymnastics
With its 3.6-plus team grade point average, the Crimson Tide has earned better than a 3.4 GPA each of the last dozen years
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Alabama gymnastics team set a new school record in terms of Scholastic All-Americans this season with all 19 members of its spring roster earning the honor from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W).
The Crimson Tide also posted the highest team grade point average of any school that advanced to the NCAA Championships Super Six Team Final after earning a 3.6026 GPA. Alabama and Oregon State were the only two schools to advance to the NCAA Championships Semifinals (final 12) and posted better than a 3.6 team GPA. Â Alabama's team GPA also led the Southeastern Conference schools by nearly two-tenths of a point. Â
The 2016-17 academic year marked the 12th year in a row that UA gymnastics has posted a team GPA of 3.4 or better.
"We are so proud of the way our ladies continue to excel in the classroom," UA head coach Dana Duckworth said. "To have all 19 gymnasts earn Scholastic All-America honors is truly a monumental feat. To have the highest team GPA in the SEC and among teams that made it to the Super Six just goes to show that at The University of Alabama, you can truly have it all."
The Tide shattered its previous school record of 14 (2011 and 2016). To be a Scholastic All-American, a gymnast must have a 3.5 or better GPA either for the previous academic year, or for their career. A total of 43 Tide gymnasts have earned 83 Scholastic All-America honors over the last five years.
"Our ladies work very hard to maintain the legacy of excellence that Alabama gymnastics enjoys in the classroom," Duckworth said. "They also utilize all the resources that the Bill Battle Academic Center puts at their disposal, and that is obviously a very potent combination for success."
Individually, four Crimson Tide gymnastics, Ari Guerra, Keely McNeer, Mackenzie Brannan and Maddie Desch, earned a perfect 4.0 GPA for the 2016-17 academic year.
The Crimson Tide's 2017 Scholastic All-Americans included Abby Armbrecht, Katie Bailey, Brannan, Jenna Bresette, Wynter Childers, Caitlin Cole, Desch, Peyton Ernst, Angelina Giancroce, Guerra, Nickie Guerrero, Amanda Jetter, Jennie Loeb, Shea Mahoney, McNeer, Mary Lillian Sanders, Aja Sims, Mackenzie Valentin and Kiana Winston.
McNeer, Sanders, Sims and Valentin all earned the recognition for the fourth time. Brannan, Guerrero, Loeb and Winston earned the honor for the third time in their careers.
Armbrecht, Bressette, Giancroce, Guerra and Jetter all earned the accolade for the second time while Bailey, Childers, Cole, Desch, Ernst and Mahoney all earned the honor for the first time. Ernst joined the Tide in January after transferring from Florida.
Fans can keep up with the Tide via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by following BamaGymnastics.
Players Mentioned
