College Gym News is proud to announce its fourth annual end-of-season award recipients. Members of the CGN staff nominated individuals in seven categories based on specified criteria. Then, the field was narrowed down and editors voted based on regular season and regionals performance only. Individuals cannot win more than one award.
Gymnast of the Year
Winner: Haleigh Bryant (LSU)
Nominees: eMjae Frazier (California), Jordan Bowers (Oklahoma), Raena Worley (Kentucky), Selena Harris (UCLA)
Criteria: Nominees didn’t just top the standings but were significant contributors throughout the season for their team. Nominees rarely had missteps and consistently produced top scores that made an impact. They stand out from their peers.
Bryant has always been a great gymnast, but she really came into her own this season, notching the highest total in the country with a 39.925—the fourth highest in NCAA history—tallying six perfect 10s, including two meets with two, completing the Gym Slam, and never scoring below 39.525 when competing all four. To top it off, she won the NCAA all-around title, the AAI Award, is a finalist fo the Honda Award, and led her team to the national championship.
Freshman of the Year
Winner: Lily Smith (Georgia)
Nominees: Anya Pilgrim (Florida),…
