Alabama’s Luisa Blanco Named SEC Gymnast of the Year

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama's Luisa Blanco was voted the Southeastern Conference Gymnast of the Year by the league's coaches, the conference office announced Wednesday. Blanco's honor marks the seventh time a Crimson Tide gymnast has earned SEC Gymnast of the Year honors and the first since Kayla Hoffman in 2011.

The sophomore posted an extraordinary performance at the recent SEC Championships, winning four of five individual events to lead Alabama to its 10^th conference title with a 197.875 team score.

Blanco, Shania Adams, Makarri Doggette, Lexi Graber, Shallon Olsen and Kaylee Quinn earned All-SEC honors, giving the Crimson Tide six honors on the season. It marks the second year in the past three that Alabama has led the league in all-conference honors. Adams also earned SEC All-Freshman honors.

In addition to Blanco and Hoffman, Jeana Rice (2004), Andreé Pickens (2000, 2001, 2002) and Meredith Willard (1997) have all been voted SEC Gymnast of the Year from the Crimson Tide.

Head Coach Dana Duckworth Said

"What a tremendous honor for Luisa and our program. She is an extremely talented and fiercely competitive young woman who does gorgeous gymnastics, but more importantly than all of that, she is an extremely humble and loving person. I'm also proud that Alabama once again led the conference in All-SEC honors. That just goes to show that this SEC title was a total team effort."

Blanco Highlights

Luisa Blanco won 2021 SEC all-around with a score of 39.800, which is tied for the second highest all-around score in SEC Championship history behind Jeana Rice's 2004 record of 39.850
Blanco was also co-champion on vault (9.95), bars (9.95) and balance beam (9.95) and tied for second place on floor (9.95) to help the Crimson Tide earn its 10^th SEC Championship title
The second Alabama gymnast to win four or more SEC titles in a single season, Blanco is only the fifth in league history to accomplish the feat
Blanco owns the third and fourth highest all-around totals in Alabama history after going 39.825 to win the all-around against LSU and a 39.800 to win the SEC title
She also won the all-around against Florida (39.700), Georgia (39.625) and Arkansas (39.550) this season
Competed in the all-around in the last six meets of this season, winning the last five
Through nine meets this season, Blanco has won 18 individual titles, including six on the balance beam and three each on the vault and uneven bars
Owns the second highest all-around average in the nation and the highest in the Southeastern Conference by almost a tenth of a point (39.646)
Holds the highest balance beam average (9.925) in the conference and third highest in the nation
She is the only Crimson Tide gymnast with two scores of 39.800-or-better

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