Keeping Up with the NCAA Gymnastics Postseason
If you don’t keep up with NCAA Gymnastics during the off season, this post is for you! There are so many huge transfers and coaching changes happening in the sport, that it is almost impossible to cover it all in one post. This post will focus solely on the transfers for NCAA Gymnastics. Since so many athletes are able to use their fifth year, many athletes are transferring to new programs for their final year in the sport.
5th Year Gymnasts
Many gymnasts have the opportunity to use a fifth year of eligibility because of COVID-19 or a possible red shirt year.
Norah Flatley: UCLA → Arkansas
After finishing her senior year at UCLA, 3-time All-American Norah Flatley has decided to take her fifth year at the University of Arkansas. Flatley will be a huge addition to the Gymbacks as she is coming off of last season as the seventh place all-around gymnast. She is also no stranger to the coaching staff at Arkansas. Head Coach Jordyn Weiber, was the assistant coach at UCLA during Flatley’s freshman season. Assistant coaches Felicia Hano and Kyla Ross were teammates with Flatley during her first two seasons as a Bruin.
Flatley will look to do big things for the Arkansas program and help to grow the program at the University of Arkansas.
Abby Brenner: Michigan → Utah
Abby Brenner announced that she will be taking her fifth year at the University of Utah. Brenner, was a part of the 2021 National Champion team and will look to claim that title again but as a Ute. Brenner competed vault, bars and floor at Michigan and has posted 26 scores of a 9.90 or higher. She will join the Utes as two-time Big Ten Specialist of the Week and a two-time Team Specialists Award winner. Brenner also claimed the 2021 and 2022 Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner.
Brenner is no stranger to current Red Rocks Abby Paulson and Jaylene Gilstrap as she was previous teammates with both athletes. Brenner will look to reunite with her previous teammates and claim another National Championship.
Josie Angeny: Kentucky → Georgia
Josie Angeny will be taking her fifth year at the University of Georgia. Angeny has been a standout gymnast for the University of Kentucky during her last four years. During her junior season, she became one of the best all-around gymnasts in the NCAA. Angeny will bring four years of experience to Georgia and will fulfill her childhood dream of being a Georgia Bulldog.
Sandra Elsadek: Ball State → Georgia
Georgia will get another fifth year gymnast, Sandra Elsadek. Elsadek scored her career-high routines during her last season at Ball State, scoring a 9.825 on vault, 9.825 on bars, 9.800 on bars, and a 9.875 on floor (junior season). Like Angeny, Elsadek will bring four years of experience and knowledge to the Bulldogs.
Natalie Wojcik: Michigan
Natalie Wojcik will be taking her fifth year at Michigan University where she competed for the past four years. Wojcik is the 2022 AAI Award winner and a two-time All-American. Wojcik has a career high of a 9.975 on both floor and uneven bars and a 10.0 on vault and beam. She was also a major contributor to Michigan when they claimed their 2021 National Championship title.
Abby Heiskell: Michigan
Abby Heiskell will also join Wojcik, returning to take her fifth year at Michigan University. Also like Wojcik, Heiskell was a huge part of the National Championship team and will look to bring home another NCAA victory to Michigan. Her career highs are 10.0 on vault, 9.95 on uneven bars, 9.9250 on beam, and 9.95 on floor.
Kennedy Hambrick: Arkansas
Kennedy Hambrick will take her fifth year at Arkansas where she has competed the last four years. Hambrick is coming off of her second National berth where she competed in the all-around. Her highest all-around score is a 39.750 and she will look to continue to post big scores for Arkansas this season.
Bailey Lovett: Arkansas
Bailey Lovett is another strong gymnast for Arkansas. Lovett is coming off of her senior season where she competed every meet of the season. Bailey was also named the 2022 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for Gymnastics. Her career highs include a 9.95 on beam and floor and a 9.875 on uneven bars.
Leah Clapper: Florida
Leah Clapper will compete for the Gators for her fifth year. Clapper is a true definition of a beam queen, as her career high on the event is a 10.0. Clapper also has a 9.90 career high on floor and a 9.875 on bars. Clapper was named the Gator Gymnastics’ Graduate Scholar-Athlete of the Year and named to the 2022 College Sports Information Directors of American Academic All-District 4-At Large First Team.
Derrian Gobourne: Auburn
Derrian Gobourne helped to lead the Auburn Tigers to the NCAA Championships last season, and will look to make a return with her team during her fifth year. Gobourne scored a 10.0 on floor last season, 9.85 on beam (2021), 9.975 on bars and a 9.95 on vault. Gobourne is also the reigning SEC Co-Specialist of the Year and claimed first team All-American honors.
Transfers
Many athletes also decide to transfer to other colleges to finish out their eligibility!
Victoria Nguyen: Georgia → Florida
Junior Victoria Nguyen has decided to transfer from the University of Georgia to the University of Florida. Nguyen is coming off of her sophomore season where she received All-SEC Honors for the 2022 season. Nguyen scored a 9.90 on bars during the SEC Championships to earn those honors. During her freshman season, Nguyen scored a 9.950 on bars, 9.850 on floor, and 9.850 on vault. Nguyen also helped to represent the U.S. at the 2017 London World Cup where she placed second in the all-around.
Vanessa Deniz: Oklahoma → Georgia
Vanessa Deniz will join the University of Georgia after finishing last season as a member of the 2022 National Champion team. As a Sooner, she competed on bars, beam and floor earning at least at 9.90 on all three events.
Molly Arnold: Utah State → Clemson
Trinity Brown: Utah State → Clemson
Brie Clark: Utah State → Clemson
Eve Jackson: Utah State → Clemson
Kielyn McCright: Utah State → Clemson
Rebecca Wells: Utah State → Clemson
While Clemson’s inaugural season may not be until 2024, six gymnasts are forgoing their 2023 season to be able to be a part of the first gymnastics team for Clemson University. Head Coach of the Tigers, Amy Smith was the previous coach for Utah State, so she will have experience working with all of these athletes.
Molly Arnold
Arnold will join the Tigers after a successful first season in NCAA gymnastics. Arnold competed vault, bars and floor for Utah State. Her career highs are 9.850 on vault, 9.825 on bars and 9.90 on floor.
Trinity Brown
Brown will also join the Tigers after a successful last season. Her career high on vault is a 9.875 and a 9.925 on floor.
Brie Clark
Brie Clark will come to Clemson as the MRGC Freshman and Floor Specialists of the year. Clark competed vault, beam and floor for Utah State. Her career highs include 9.825 on vault, 9.90 on beam and 9.950 on floor.
Eve Jackson
Eve Jackson will be going into her junior season during the Tigers first year. Jackson has competed vault, bars, beam and floor with scores of 9.825, 9.900, 9.775 and 9.900 respectively. During the 2022 season, Jackson also received MRGC Bar Specialist of the Week.
Kielyn McCright
Kielyn McCright is a beam queen who performed mostly on beam during her 2022 campaign. She was named MRGC Beam Specialist of the Week during the 2022 season and scored a 9.925 career high on the beam.
Rebecca Wells
Rebecca Wells will come to the Tigers with three years of experience under her belt. Her 2022 campaign was her most successful season to date, as she became the 2022 MRGC All-Around Champion. Wells has a 39.475 career-high in the all-around.
Keeping up with NCAA Gymnastics
There are so many changes coming to NCAA Gymnastics between the coaching staff and the athletes on the rosters, so make sure to stay alert! Off season is just as crazy as the regular season! Stay tuned for more updates in this article about NCAA Gymnastics!