Alabama Gymnastics Leads NCAA Division I in WCGA Scholastic All-America Honors
7/31/2018 3:43:00 PM | Gymnastics
The Crimson Tide was second in terms of team GPA among all schools at this year’s NCAA Champion-ships with a 3.65
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Alabama gymnastics team was one of two schools that finished among the top 10 both at the 2018 NCAA Championships and by team grade point average, the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) announced this week.
The Crimson Tide was also first among NCAA Championships teams with 15 WCGA Scholastic All-Americans.
Alabama was one of just two schools to advance to the NCAA Championships semifinals (final 12) and post better than a 3.6 team GPA. Alabama's team GPA also led the Southeastern Conference schools by more than a tenth of a point.
The 2017-18 academic year marked the 13th year in a row that Crimson Tide gymnastics has posted a team GPA of 3.4 or better.
"The hard work and dedication that our ladies put into everything they do is evident in their performance in the classroom," UA head coach Dana Duckworth said. "To have 15 gymnasts earn Scholastic All-America honors, the most among NCAA Division I schools, is an accomplishment to be truly proud. Couple that with having the highest team GPA in the SEC and to stand among the top two among schools that made it to the NCAA semifinals and it goes to show that at The University of Alabama, you can truly have it all."
The Tide's 15 Scholastic All-Americans ranks second all-time for Alabama, behind last year's school record 19 and one better than the Tide's 2011 and 2016 totals of 14. 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 47 Tide gymnasts have earned 98 Scholastic All-America honors over the last six years.
The Crimson Tide's 2017-18 Scholastic All-Americans include: Abigail Armbrecht, Mackenzie Brannan, Jenna Bresette, Madison Desch, Kylie Dickson, Peyton Ernst, Angelina Giancroce, Lexi Graber, Ariana Guerra, Nichole Guerrero, Bailie Key, Alonza Klopfer, Jennie Loeb, Shea Mahoney and Kiana Winston.
Brannan, Guerrero, Loeb and Winston all closed out their Alabama careers as four-year Scholastic All-Americans, while Armbrecht, Bresette, Giancroce and Guerra garnered the honor for the third time. Desch, Ernst and Mahoney earned their second Scholastic All-America nods while Dickson, Graber, Key and Klopfer received the accolade for the first time.
For all the latest information on Alabama gymnastics, follow BamaGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and head coach Dana Duckworth on Twitter and Instagram at @UACoachDana.
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