Gator Gymnastics Team Holds Annual Awards Banquet
Thursday, May 1, 2008 | Gymnastics
Sophomore Melanie Sinclair received the University of Florida gymnastics team's Outstanding Gymnast award Wednesday evening at the team's annual banquet, held in the University Women's Club. Sinclair led Florida in 2008 Southeastern Conference, NCAA Regional and NCAA Championship all-around competition. She used a collegiate-best total of 39.65 to win the NCAA Southeast Regional title and tied for third in NCAA Championships all-around competition after leading Session I of the NCAA team qualifying competition at 39.525. She earned All-America first team honors for all-around, uneven bars and balance beam plus was an All-America second team member for the vault. The SEC uneven bars co-champion, Sinclair shared UF's season-high mark (9.95) on the event. Sinclair also was named the team's Most Consistent, as she recorded no falls in the 51 competitive routines she performed this season. She picked up 16 events titles in 2008.
Sophomore Amanda Castillo is the Gator Heart and Soul Award winner. The two-time SEC Gymnast of the Week earned a total of 18 event wins this season, including claiming her second consecutive SEC and NCAA Regional floor exercise titles. She shared UF's season-high marks of 9.95 on bars and floor exercise. At last week's NCAA Championships, she added three more All-America honors, earning first-team honors for the all-around and floor exercise plus a spot on the vault second team.
Nicola Willis was named the Most Improved. As a senior, Willis set four collegiate-bests - vault (9.90), uneven bars (9.95), balance beam (9.875) and all-around (39.40). She took third overall in last Saturday's NCAA floor exercise final and earned All-America first team honors. Willis also earned All-SEC second team honors and turned in 18 top-three event finishes. She also received her second consecutive "CommuniGator" award for her community service contributions. Willis has donated more than 50 hours of GoodWill Gator activities during her collegiate career.
Freshman Maranda Smith is the Gator Newcomer of the Year. Smith joined the team in January and appeared in every meet, either as part of the competitive lineup or to perform an exhibition routine. She hit her debut of a double-front with half twist dismount to earn a collegiate-best uneven bars mark of 9.85 versus Utah and used a collegiate-best 9.875 to place third in the Pittsburgh dual floor competition.
Senior Ashley Reed was chosen as the 2008 recipient of the "Charlie's Angel" award, given in memory of former Gator Gymnastics Gang president Charlie Eggleston. Reed collected four All-America honors in 2008 (all-around, beam, floor -first team; vault - second team) and advanced to the NCAA Individual Event finals, taking fourth on beam and tying for eighth on floor with Castillo. She used collegiate-best marks of 9.95 to earn a share of the SEC and NCAA Southeast Region vault titles. The Scholar-Athlete award went to sophomore Rebekah Zaiser, who also picked up the SEC Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete of the Year - a first for the Gator program.
During the 2008 season, the Gators (12-3-1) finished fourth in the NCAA Championships, marking the fourth top-five finish for the program since 2004. Florida collected its fourth consecutive NCAA Regional team title in 2008 and tied for second at the SEC Championships. Five Gators turned in a school-record 15 All-America honors for the second consecutive year.
| 2008 University of Florida Gymnastics Team Awards | |
| Outstanding Gymnast | Melanie Sinclair |
| Gator Heart & Soul Award | Amanda Castillo |
| Newcomer of the Year | Maranda Smith |
| Scholar Award | Rebekah Zaiser |
| Most Improved | Nicola Willis |
| "Charlie's Angel" | Ashley Reed |
| "CommuniGator" | Nicola Willis |
| Most Consistent | Melanie Sinclair |
