Gators Sweep WCGA Region 5 Awards
Florida is the nation’s only program to claim each of four possible 2020 region honors.
Mary Howard
4/9/2020
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gator gymnastics swept the 2020 Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) Region 5 awards. Florida is the nation’s only program to claim each of four possible 2020 region honors.
2020 WCGA Region 5 Awards
| Gymnast of the Year: | Trinity Thomas | Florida |
| Head Coach of the Year: | Jenny Rowland | Florida |
| Assistant Coaches of the Year: | Adrian Burde and Owen Field | Florida |
| Administrator of the Year: | Kim Green | Florida |
ICYMI, the #Gators swept the 2020 @wcgagym Region 5 Awards!! ??????
— Gators Gymnastics (@GatorsGym) April 10, 2020
Congrats again to @Gym_Trin, @kcegreen, @adrinburde12, @CoachOwenField and @JennyRowlandUF! ????
#GoGators #WeChomp #NOW pic.twitter.com/J0tHhabk4z
Gymnast of the Year:
Trinity Thomas claims her second consecutive WCGA Region 5 Gymnast of the Year honor. This is the seventh consecutive season a Gator picked up the region gymnast of the year honor.
AS A SOPHOMORE (2020):
- All-America first-team for all-around, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise and second-team for vault in the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) regular-season awards – one of three in nation to claim five honors
- Set collegiate all-around best (39.825) to win title at Georgia. Nation’s third-highest total of 2020 and equals Florida record
- Only 2020 gymnast with a 10.0 in three different events:
- 14th Gator to earn a 10.0 with winning mark in LSU dual uneven bars competition
- 10.0 on balance beam versus Denver & Iowa State. Beam 10.0 again in next meet at Auburn
- 10.0 won floor exercise at Penn State. All-arounder in every meet. Owns four of 2020’s top seven all-around totals (No. T3: 39.825; No.T7: 39.775 3x)
- Final Road to Nationals event rankings: No. 1 floor exercise (9.965 NQS), No. 2 all-around (39.75), No. T2 balance beam (9.965), No. T4 uneven bars (9.945), No. 14 vault (9.90)
- Among the four finalists for the 2020 Honda Award (season’s top collegiate gymnast)
- Led Gators with 28 event wins in 2020 – eight all-around, floor, six bars, five beam, one vault. Won final seven all-around competitions of 2020.
- Eight SEC Gymnast of the Week accolades is most in a single season in the honor’s 21-year history
- Earned fourth consecutive U.S. Senior National Team spot at 2019 U.S. Championships. One of eight gymnasts since 1987 to earn a U.S. Senior National Team spot after competing earlier at that season’s NCAA Championships.
- SEC Academic Honor Roll
Coach of the Year:
Assistant Coaches of the Year:
Jenny Rowland picks up her first Region 5 Coach of the Year award in 2020.
Adrian Burde and Owen Field claim their fourth Region 5 Assistant Coaches of Year honor since 2016 and third consecutive. This is Burde’s eighth region coach of year honor since joining the Gator program for the 2007 season.
- Florida was 10-0 in 2020 and No. 2 on final Road to Nationals standings.
- The Gators won their second consecutive Southeastern Conference title with a 7-0 league record. It was UF’s first undefeated league season since 1992 when all league teams began meeting during regular season action.
- Florida held the No. 2 position throughout the Road to Nationals rankings after being picked No. 3 in the preseason vote.
- Gators rank in top three in each of the final event rankings – No. 1 (beam), No. 2 (floor), No. 3 (vault & floor)
- Florida’s team total of 198.375 (Jan. 24 vs LSU) is nation’s No. 3 total for 2020 and also is No. 3 total all-time for Gator program.
- Four Gators – Alyssa Baumann, Rachel Gowey, Savannah Schoenherr, Trinity Thomas – earned nine WCGA All-America honors
School Records Equaled in 2020:
| Uneven Bars: | Trinity Thomas | 10.0 (Jan. 24) |
| Balance Beam: | Rachel Gowey | 10.0 (March 7) |
| Trinity Thomas | 10.0 (Feb.7 & Feb. 14) | |
| Team | 49.675 (Jan. 24 & Feb. 21) | |
| Floor Exercise: | Trinity Thomas | 10.0 (March 7) |
| All-Around: | Trinity Thomas | 39.825 (Feb. 28) |
Administrator of the Year:
Associate Athletics Director Kim Green receives her second consecutive Region 5 Administrator of the Year honor.
2020 WCGA Region Awards
| Region | Gymnast of Year |
| 1 | Kiya Johnson, LSU |
| 2 | Lexy Ramler, Minnesota |
| 3 | Sierra Brooks, Michigan |
| 4 | Taylor Houchin, Nebraska |
| 5 | Trinity Thomas, Florida |
| 6 | Kyla Ross, UCLA |
| Region | Coach of Year |
| 1 | Dana Duckworth, Alabama |
| 2 | Tom Farden, Utah |
| 3 | Beverly Plocki, Michigan |
| 4 | Ashley Lawson, SE Missouri State |
| 5 | Jenny Rowland, Florida |
| 6 | Justin Howell & Liz Crandall-Howell, California |
| Region | Assistant Coaches of Year |
| 1 | Bill Lorenz & Ryan Roberts, Alabama |
| 2 | Carly Dockendorf & Garrett Griffeth, Utah |
| 3 | Scott Sherman, Maile’ana Hermelyn & Quest Hayden, Michigan |
| 4 | Taylor Spears & David McCreary, Arizona |
| 5 | Adriane Burde & Owen Field, Florida |
| 6 | Janelle McDonald, California |
| Region | Administrator of Year |
| 1 | Robin Kelley, Alabama |
| 2 | Stuart Halsall, Denver |
| 3 | Carrie Kimball, UNH |
| 4 | Suzanne Affeldt, Arizona |
| 5 | Kim Green, Florida |
| 6 | Marianne Vydra, Oregon State |
