Gopher gymnasts return home celebrating history-making season
Fourth in the nation and the best finish by the Gopher gymnastics team in program history happened last weekend in Fort Worth, TX at the NCAA Championship.
The Maroon and Gold went into the postseason ranked 13th, proving to everyone that number did not define them.
"[We] really just wanted to be the team to beat, and not be in this stereotype that we didn't belong somewhere or couldn't contend with other people because as we've proven this past weekend, we are more than capable of doing that, so this was kind of the mark of 'underdog' is erased from our dictionary as a whole which is exciting," said Sarah Moraw, Gopher senior.
Senior Brooklyn Rowray became the second Golden Gopher in program history to win an individual national title on beam with a 9.9625.
She joins the ranks alongside Marie Roethlisberger, the last Gopher to earn a national championship in uneven bars in 1990.
"This experience overall has just been so amazing and to have that to my name, I'm just so grateful for it," said Rowray.
Rowray's beam coach is her former teammate, Mya Hooten, who had an impressive first year on the other side of the mat, even though Hooten was better known for competing on floor.
"Sometimes when an event doesn't click, you've been coached on it at another level. You remember every correction, every drill because it doesn't come naturally to you, which I think, in turn, made her a better coach," said Jenny Hansen, Gopher Gymnastics head coach.
Coach Hansen sure hopes their successful season will help with recruitment, which starts now.
"That next class has some amazing Minnesota gymnasts, so we're definitely hoping to keep some of them here," said Hansen.
The season wrapped with 30 wins, which is a program record.