Gator Gymnastics Team Holds Annual Awards Banquet
Friday, April 24, 2009 | Gymnastics
Senior Corey Hartung received the University of Florida gymnastics team's Outstanding Gymnast award Friday evening at the team's annual banquet, held in the University Women's Club.
Hartung collected her 10th career All-America honor in 2009, placing her just behind the 11 All-America honors posted by UF's career leaders Chrissy Van Fleet (1997-00) and Kristen Guise (1993-96). Hartung qualified for her fourth consecutive NCAA floor exercise final in 2009, turning in her top finish of third (9.90). She turned in UF's top marks for all-around (39.60), balance beam (9.95-twice) and floor exercise (9.95 - twice) this season. Among her 10 event titles claimed in 2009 were the NCAA North Central Regional balance beam and floor exercise titles. Hartung earned two all-around wins in 2009 to finish No. 6 on the UF career all-around wins list with 14 titles. She earned her fourth consecutive All-Southeastern Conference honor after taking fourth in league all-around competition. Hartung is one of three Gators all-time to earn All-SEC honors each year of their collegiate career.
Junior Melanie Sinclair picked up the team's Most Consistent award for the second consecutive year, as she hit 56 of the 57 routines performed in 2009. She led UF in 2009 with 14 event titles (six bars, three all-around and vault, two floor) and competed as an all-arounder in every meet. Sinclair added three more All-America honors in 2009 (uneven bars - first team; all-around, floor exercise - second team) and earned a spot on the All-SEC team for the third consecutive year. She turned in her third career 10.0 uneven bars mark with her win versus Kentucky.
Junior Maranda Smith is the Gator Heart and Soul Award winner, given to a gymnast whose actions serve as an inspiration to her teammates. Smith competed primarily on the uneven bars last season, but moved into an all-arounder role in early February. Smith last competed as an all-arounder during her club career in the spring of 2005. She competed as an all-arounder in the last 10 meets of the 2009 season. Her collegiate-best all-around total of 39.45 set in NCAA Championships' Session I team qualifying competition earned her All-America first team honors and tied for eighth overall among the NCAA Championships' all-arounders. She also earned All-America first team honors for vault and second-team honors in floor exercise.
Courtney Gladys was named the Most Improved. As a junior, Gladys set her collegiate-bests for every event, including posting her top all-around total of 39.275 in the NCAA Super Six team final. Last year, Gladys competed primarily on vault, but kept adding events as the 2009 season progressed. Her first collegiate all-around performance came March 6 and she competed as an all-arounder for the final six meets of the year.
Freshman Elizabeth Mahlich is the Gator Newcomer of the Year. Mahlich performed as an all-arounder 11 times in 2009. She earned All-America second-team honors for the balance beam at the NCAA Championships after matching her collegiate-best of 9.875 to tie for fifth in NCAA Session I team qualifying beam competition. Mahlich was also named to Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team.
Junior Ashley Kerr was chosen as the 2009 recipient of the "Charlie's Angel" award, given in memory of former Gator Gymnastics Gang president Charlie Eggleston. Injuries sidelined a third of the Florida team this season. Kerr made her competitive debut in the March 6 dual and was part of the UF vault lineup for the last six meets of the season. The Scholar-Athlete award went to junior Rebekah Zaiser. She was one of seven Gators named to the recently announced SEC Academic Honor Roll. Zaiser, who has her goal set on medical school after graduation, posted a 4.0 grade point average during the 2008 spring, summer and fall semesters. The Communicator Award went to sophomore All-American Alicia Goodwin. She has participated in more than 20 hours of Goodwill Gator activities this year and was named to the SEC Gymnastics Community Service team in March. Goodwin also earned All-America first team honors in 2009, finishing third in the NCAA uneven bars event final.
During the 2009 season, the Gators (10-6) finished fourth in the NCAA Championships, marking the fifth top-five finish for the program since 2004. Florida collected its fifth consecutive NCAA Regional team title in 2009 and took third at the SEC Championships. Five Gators collected nine All-America honors.
| 2009 University of Florida Gymnastics Team Awards | |
| Outstanding Gymnast | Corey Hartung |
| Gator Heart & Soul Award | Maranda Smith |
| Newcomer of the Year | Elizabeth Mahlich |
| Scholar Award | Rebekah Zaiser |
| Most Improved | Courtney Gladys |
| "Charlie's Angel" | Ashley Kerr |
| "CommuniGator" | Alicia Goodwin |
| Most Consistent | Melanie Sinclair |
