Pac-12 announces weekly gymnastics honors
SAN FRANCISCO – Today the Pac-12 Conference announced the Pac-12 women’s gymnastics weekly honors for the week of Feb. 17 - 22. OREGON STATE’s Madeline Gardiner was named the Gymnast of the Week, UCLA’s Sadiqua Bynum was voted Specialist of the Week, and OREGON STATE’s Mary Jacobsen was named the Freshman/Newcomer of the Week.
OREGON STATE junior Madeline Gardiner earned Gymnast of the Week honors for the first time since March of 2015 after leading the No. 17 Beavers to a win over No. 14 CALIFORNIA and a season-high team all-around score. Gardiner set a career-best in the all-around (39.475), tied her career-best on the balance beam (9.925) and scored a season-high on the floor exercise (9.900). She recorded event titles on the floor exercise and in the all-around. In addition, as a team, the Beavers established season-highs on the bars and beam and tied their high on the floor. Gardiner is the 13th-ranked all-arounder in the nation, and the second-highest ranked all-arounder in the Pac-12.
UCLA senior Sadiqua Bynum earned Specialist of the Week honors this week, making it three Specialist of the Week honors in a row for UCLA—from three different gymnasts. Bynum won both events that she competed on Sunday to help UCLA record a 196.675-196.450 victory at WASHINGTON. Bynum tied her season-high on vault score with a 9.875 and helped the Bruins take the lead over the Huskies after scoring 9.95 on floor exercise. Bynum’s 9.95 score on floor was her fourth score of 9.95 or higher this season, and she moved into the top spot in the national rankings on floor with a RQS of 9.935. Bynum now has a team-high 4 event titles and also leads the team with 6 scores of 9.9 or higher and 4 scores of 9.95 or higher.
OREGON STATE freshman Mary Jacobsen earned Freshman / Newcomer of the Week honors for the first time this week. Jacobsen reached career-highs on both events she competed in and helped No. 17 OREGON STATE get the win over No. 14 CALIFORNIA. Jacobsen opened the meet scoring 9.825 on the vault to tie her personal record. In the second rotation, she shattered her previous career-high on the bars in a near perfect routine to score a 9.950 and help the Beavers to a new season-best on the bars (49.225).
A gymnast of the week has been selected every week of the season since 2001. The Specialist of the Week award was added in 2008 and Freshman/Newcomer of the Week was added in 2013.
For more information including a complete television schedule please visit www.pac-12.com.
Also Nominated:
Gymnast of the Week: Krysten Howard, ARIZ; Zoe Draghi, CAL; Elizabeth Price, STAN; Angi Cipra, UCLA; Breanna Hughes, UTAH; Joslyn Goings, WASH
Special Performance of the Week: Maddy Cindric, ARIZ; Alicia Gallarzo, CAL; Kaytianna McMillan, OSU; Nicolette McNair, STAN; Maddy Stover, UTAH; Alex Yacalis, WASH
Freshman/Newcomer of the Week: Skyler Sheppard, ARIZ; Taryn Fitzgerald, STAN; Nicki Shapiro, UCLA; Sabrina Schwab, UTAH; Malory Rose, WASH
2016 Pac-12 Women’s Gymnastics Weekly Award Winners:
Gymnast Specialist Freshman/Newcomer
Jan. 12 Elizabeth Price, STAN Hallie Mossett, UCLA Sabrina Schwab, UTAH
Jan. 19 Elizabeth Price, STAN Breanna Hughes, UTAH Katelyn Ohashi, UCLA
Jan. 26 Elizabeth Price, STAN Baely Rowe, UTAH Katelyn Ohashi, UCLA
Feb. 2 Toni-Ann Williams, CAL Ivana Hong, STAN Sabrina Schwab, UTAH
Feb. 9 Sadiqua Bynum, UCLA Angi Cipra, UCLA Madison Preston, UCLA
Feb. 16 Toni-Ann Williams, CAL Sophina DeJesus, UCLA Sabrina Schwab, UTAH
Feb. 23 Madeline Gardiner, OSU Sadiqua Bynum, UCLA Mary Jacobsen, OSU