The Georgia Gymdogs officially concluded its 2016 season with the team banquet on Saturday.
The Gymdogs reached the Super Six for the third time in the last four years and claimed two individual national champions – Brandie Jay on vault and Brittany Rogers on bars.
“The feeling for me is so exciting,” said Georgia head coach Danna Durante. “Going forward into next year we have this foundation of who we are. Prelims were exciting. Two national champions, that was the first time for this staff. That was the first time for Georgia since 2012 (to have a national champion), first time since 2008 to have multiple champions. It was an exciting end to the season, no question.”
POSTSEASON HONORS
The Gymdogs’ trio of seniors all claimed NACGC/W and NCAA All-America honors as they led Georgia in another successful campaign. Rogers and Jay each claimed first-team honors, with Rogers on vault and bars and Jay on vault. The Fort Collins, Colorado native Jay was also named to the second team for all-around. Mary Beth Box was named to the NACGC/W’s second team on both beam and floor.
For the NCAA Awards, Rogers was named to the first team on vault and bars, and Jay was on the first team for vault and second team for all-around. Box was named to the second team on floor.
Five Gymdogs received SEC honors – seniors Box, Jay and Rogers, junior Rachel Schick and freshman Sydney Snead. Jay was All-SEC in all four events and in the all-around, finishing as the SEC vault champion. Rogers was recognized for her vault performance and Box was honored on floor. Schick’s 9.9 on bars was the highest at the SEC Championship’s first session, sealing her place on the All-SEC team. Snead was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman team with a 9.85 on bars at the North Little Rock, Arkansas competition.
EVENT-BY-EVENT
Vault
The Gymdogs’ year on vault was highlighted by Jay’s national championship and Rogers claiming the team’s first 10 on the road since 2009. Rogers’ perfect routine came on the west coast in a tri-meet at UCLA with Stanford. The score spurred Georgia to its best vault rotation of the year with a 49.525 as a team. The Gymdogs claimed 10 vault titles during the season, with seven from Jay and three from Rogers while the team averaged a 49.2773 on vault in 2016.
Bars
Rogers’ individual title on bars capped an impressive season for the Gymdogs in the event. Georgia averaged a 49.1883 on bars in 2016 with a season-best 49.4 against top-ranked Oklahoma. As a team, Georgia had one All-American (Rogers) and three All-SEC honorees (Rogers, Schick, Snead) in the event. Georgia won eight bars titles in the season with four from Rogers, two from Jay, and one each from Snead and Vaculik.
Beam
Beam was an area of concern for the Gymdogs through the early part of the schedule, but Georgia bounced back and finished strong in the event by taking its best road score of the year at the Super Six with a 49.3625 after hitting all six routines. Georgia’s best beam score came in an upset of LSU at home, a 49.425. Georgia won six event titles in beam this year with three from Rogers, two from Box and one from Ashlyn Broussard. As a team, Georgia averaged a 48.8016 on beam through the season.
Floor
Georgia’s second-best event in 2016 was floor as the Gymdogs averaged a 49.2758 in the event. Georgia took its best floor score of the season with a 49.625 to come from behind and defeat the then-top ranked Florida Gators, a rotation that included three consecutive 9.95s. Georgia won 13 event titles on floor, with Box leading the way with six. Gigi Marino followed with four, Jay added two and Rogers took one.
TEAM AWARDS
Sam Sheehan Spirit Award – Jasmine Arnold
Most Improved – Rachel Schick
Most Inspirational Performance – Morgan Reynolds, floor, UCLA
Scholar Athlete – Gracie Cherrey
Anysia “All In” Unick Award – Sydney Snead
Kathy McMinn Consistency Award – Mary Beth Box
Team MVP – Brittany Rogers
Suzanne Yoculan “No Dream Too Big” Award – Brandie Jay
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GYMDOGS 2016 SEASON RECAP