Eight Tiger Gymnasts Named To All-Big 12 Academic Teams

Tigers lead league with eight selections

March 21, 2006

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Showing they excel in the classroom as well as in the gym, eight members of the No. 13 Missouri gymnastics team earned a spot on the 2006 Academic All-Big 12 Gymnastics Team, as announced by the conference on Tuesday. Missouri's eight selections led the league and doubled the next highest school's total.

Seven Tigers, seniors Jodie Heinicka, Lauren "Bunny" Schwartzman and Sarah Zigler, juniors Alicia Gilmore and Amanda Pezzullo and sophomores Julie Abaray and Katie Kluga earned Academic All-Big 12 first team honors while sophomore Nicole Bowman made the second team.

Heinicka and Schwartzman are now three-time members of the first team while Pezzullo made the first team for the second-consecutive year.

Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the academic all-league gymnastics squad consists of 14 first team members combined with four on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA and the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.

To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her team's scheduled contests. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are also eligible.

The Tigers travel to Lincoln, Neb., to begin post-season competition this weekend for the 2006 Big 12 Championships on Saturday, March 25 at 7 p.m. in Lincoln, Neb.

2006 Academic All-Big 12 Gymnastics Teams

First Team (3.20-plus GPA, *indicates nominated with a 4.00 GPA)
Krystal Carney, ISU Sr. Interior Design Aurora, Colo.
Kacey Oiness, ISU Sr. Psychology Henderson, Nev.
Julie Abaray, MU So. Journalism Hamilton, Ohio
Alicia Gilmore, MU Jr. Advertising St. Charles, Mo.
Jodie Heinicka, MU Sr. Interdisciplinary Stud. Seminole, Fla.
Katie Kluga, MU So. Pre-Physical Therapy Downers Grove, Ill.
Amanda Pezzullo, MU Jr. Nutrition & Fitness Wheaton, Ill.
Lauren Schwartzman, MU Sr. Nutrition & Fitness San Antonio, Texas
Sarah Zigler, MU Sr. Communication Franklin, Tenn.
Stephanie Carter, NU Jr. Business Admin. Bryn Athyn, Pa.
Michele Zabawa, NU Jr. Elem. Education Omaha, Neb.
Tara Anderson, OU* Sr. Elem. Education Phoenix, Ariz.
Kristen Cox, OU Sr. Human Relations Horn Lake, Miss.
Brittany Koncak-Schumann, OU* Jr. Health & Sport Scien. McQueeney, Texas
Second Team (3.00 to 3.19 GPA)
Ashley Alden, ISU Jr. Psychology Park City, Ill.
Jessica Oney, ISU Sr. Health & Fitness Man. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Nicole Bowman, MU So. Undeclared Business Virginia Beach, Va.
Tiffany Willin, OU Jr. General Management Fort Meyers, Fla.
 

 

Perry Finishes With Strong Performance at NCAA National Championship

04/24/2008 - W. Gymnastics

Tiger junior Adrianne Perry (Columbia, Mo.) concluded the 2008 Tiger Gymnastics season, competing as an individual all-arounder, with a 37th place finish at the NCAA National Championships as she tallied a 38.600. Perry had a great meet, improving her score on every event from last season, except for beam, which she fell off of. All in all, Perry's season concluded as one of the most memorable in Mizzou Gymnastics history.

Alicia Hatcher's Gymnastics Journal

09/17/2008 - W. Gymnastics

Senior gymnast Alicia Hatcher shares her excitement for the upcoming season.

Six Gymnasts, Team Earn Academic Honors

08/28/2008 - W. Gymnastics

For University of Missouri gymnasts, the balancing act is not limited to the beam. The Tigers are also full-time students who work hard in the classroom. For the eighth consecutive year, both the Mizzou gymnastics team and individual student-athletes have been recognized for their academic achievements by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastic Coaches (NACGC/W). Six gymnasts were recognized, and the team was honored as an NACGC/W Academic Team for having a collective GPA of 3.2653. The Tigers placed 37th on the list, the highest in the Big 12 conference.

Mizzou Finishes No. 38 In U.S. Sports Academy Directors' Cup Standings

06/26/2008 - W. Gymnastics

It's certainly been a banner year for Missouri Athletics and on the heels of strong showings from Tiger Baseball, Softball and Men's Track and Field at the national level this spring, Missouri finished 38th in the final U.S. Sports Academy's Directors' Cup standings (formerly known as the Sears Directors' Cup) released Thursday afternoon by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

Tiger Gymnastics Closes Season with Annual Banquet

05/04/2008 - W. Gymnastics

The No. 20 Missouri Gymnastics team officially ended its season today as it hosted the annual year-end banquet. At the banquet, head coach Rob Drass and the rest of the coaching staff recognized several Tigers for all of their achievements throughout the season.