Gator Gymnastics Team Holds Annual Banquet Wednesday
Thursday, April 21, 2011 | Gymnastics
Marissa King, this year's NCAA Vault Champion, was honored as the Gator gymnastics team's “Most Outstanding” gymnast Wednesday evening at the team's annual award banquet in the Gator Room in the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. King and the rest of the team celebrated their season and their individual accomplishments.
| 2011 University of Florida Gymnastics Team Awards | |
| Outstanding Gymnast: | Marissa King |
| Newcomer of the Year: | Alaina Johnson |
| Most Improved | Randy Stageberg |
| Most Consistent | Ashan?e Dickerson |
| Gator Heart & Soul Award | Maranda Smith |
| Scholar Award | Nicole Ellis |
| “Communigator” | Alicia Goodwin |
| “Charlie's Angel” | Mackenzie Caquatto |
Along with earning her vault title in Sunday's NCAA Individual Event finals, King earned two All-America first-team honors (vault and floor) and claimed seven event titles in 2011. The sophomore is the second Gator to win the NCAA vault title in the program's history.
Alaina Johnson was named “Outstanding Newcomer” after nabbing three first-team All-America honors at the NCAA Championships. She was also named the SEC Freshman of the Year and received the SEC Freshman Gymnast of the Week four times, and SEC Gymnast of the Week once this season. Johnson is second among the Gators with 14 event titles, including an NCAA North Central Region all-around title.
Sophomore Ashan?e Dickerson was awarded this year's “Most Consistent” title following her 23 event titles, including a floor title at the Southeastern Conference Championships, three All-America second-team honors (all-around, balance beam, floor) and her second consecutive NCAA Southeast Region Gymnast of the Year title.
Five-time All-American Maranda Smith received her third consecutive “Gator Heart & Soul” award. Smith is the only Gator gymnast to be awarded a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA. She has claimed 17 event titles in the last three seasons, advancing to the NCAA Individual Event finals for three different events since 2009. Smith was a finalist for the 2011 AAI Senior Gymnast of the Year award.
“Most Improved” went to sophomore Randy Stageberg, who finished in the top three in five beam competitions this season. She matched her collegiate-best 9.875 on the balance beam against Georgia and turned in a season-best 9.85 on the floor six times in 2011, including NCAA North Central Regional and NCAA semifinal competition.
Fellow freshman Mackenzie Caquatto is this year's “Charlie's Angel,” an award given in memory of former Gator Gymnastics Gang president Charlie Eggleston. Caquatto won the all-around competition in the Florida-Alabama dual meet with the highest total ever by a Gator making her all-around debut. She claimed 10 event titles in 2011, including the top prize for the uneven bars at the NCAA North Central Region competition.
The “Scholar Athlete” award went to junior Nicole Ellis, who was named to the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Scholastic All-America team as a sophomore and a freshman, and is a member of the 2011 and 2010 SEC Academic Honor Roll. Ellis was also selected to the All-SEC second team after tying for second in the vault competition at the SEC Championships.
Senior Alicia Goodwin is the team's “Communigator” recipient for her efforts as an ambassador for the team. Goodwin has participated in numerous community service activities and was this year's vice president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), following two years as the SAAC secretary. Goodwin was an All-SEC second team selection after tying for second in the SEC Championships' balance beam competition with a collegiate-best 9.90. She also received the “Communigator” award in 2009.
During the 2011 season, the Gators finished seventh in the NCAA Championships, and second at the SEC Championship and NCAA North Central Regional. Four Gators collected nine All-America honors.
