Esposito Named Freshman of the Year as Three GymBeavs Earn Pac-12 Honors
March 26, 2024 | Women's Gymnastics
Esposito was also Honorable Mention on vault and is joined by Jade Carey and Sage Thompson as OSU gymnasts to earn recognition from the Pac-12.
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Three Beaver gymnasts were recognized by the conference office as the Pac-12 announced its postseason honors on Tuesday. Sophia Esposito was named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year as she, Jade Carey and Sage Thompson each earned All Conference honors.
A three-time Pac-12 Newcomer of the Week selection, Esposito's strong freshman campaign saw the Melville, N.Y., native compete in three or more events in each of the team's 12 meets, which included seven all-around performances. She hit in 39 of her 42 events this season, good for an average of 92.9%, while posting a 9.850 or higher score 26 times, setting her season-high for any event with a 9.950 FX score against UCLA on Feb. 9.
With a team-leading 9.895 vault NQS that is tied for seventh in the conference, Esposito was also an All Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection that event. She vaulted in every single meet and hit all 12, finishing with a score below 9.825 just once while finishing with 9.900 four different times: at Rutgers (Jan. 13), versus Brown (Jan. 21), versus UCLA (Feb. 9) and again at the Pac-12 Championships (March 23).
A two-time Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year, Carey was named First Team All Pac-12 on the bars and an Honorable Mention selection on beam. Entering postseason competition, Carey's 9.960 bars NQS is tied for first in the Pac-12 and fourth place among 534 qualified gymnasts in the nation while her beam NQS, 9.930, is tied for eighth in the conference.
The Phoenix, Ariz., native extended her career hits streak this season, as she's a perfect 141-141 at Oregon State while finishing with a 9.900 or higher in 18 of her 24 combined appearances on the bars and beam in 2024, which featured four total 9.975 scores. 12 of her 20 event titles this season came on either event as she finished seven meets with a 9.900 or higher in both; Carey was the Pac-12 Uneven Bar and Floor Champion after posting a perfect 10 on FX and 9.950 on UB in West Valley City, Utah, last weekend.
Thompson, an All Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection on the bars, made an immediate impact in the Beaver lineup during her first season at Oregon State, ending the regular season with a 9.925 NQS that is tied for 22nd in the nation and eighth in the Pac-12. Having hit in every single one of her 11 bars routines this season, she finished with a 9.900 or higher in eight different meets and never had a score lower than 9.800.
Originally from Lehi, Utah, Thompson was named Pac-12 Coaches' Choice of the Week on Jan. 16 and won two bars event titles thanks to a pair of season-high 9.950s against UCLA (Feb. 9) and Washington (March 8).
Esposito, Carey, Thompson and the rest of the Beavers return to action next week, heading to Fayetteville, Ark., to participate in the program's 49th-consecutive NCAA Regionals appearance.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
A three-time Pac-12 Newcomer of the Week selection, Esposito's strong freshman campaign saw the Melville, N.Y., native compete in three or more events in each of the team's 12 meets, which included seven all-around performances. She hit in 39 of her 42 events this season, good for an average of 92.9%, while posting a 9.850 or higher score 26 times, setting her season-high for any event with a 9.950 FX score against UCLA on Feb. 9.
With a team-leading 9.895 vault NQS that is tied for seventh in the conference, Esposito was also an All Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection that event. She vaulted in every single meet and hit all 12, finishing with a score below 9.825 just once while finishing with 9.900 four different times: at Rutgers (Jan. 13), versus Brown (Jan. 21), versus UCLA (Feb. 9) and again at the Pac-12 Championships (March 23).
A two-time Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year, Carey was named First Team All Pac-12 on the bars and an Honorable Mention selection on beam. Entering postseason competition, Carey's 9.960 bars NQS is tied for first in the Pac-12 and fourth place among 534 qualified gymnasts in the nation while her beam NQS, 9.930, is tied for eighth in the conference.
The Phoenix, Ariz., native extended her career hits streak this season, as she's a perfect 141-141 at Oregon State while finishing with a 9.900 or higher in 18 of her 24 combined appearances on the bars and beam in 2024, which featured four total 9.975 scores. 12 of her 20 event titles this season came on either event as she finished seven meets with a 9.900 or higher in both; Carey was the Pac-12 Uneven Bar and Floor Champion after posting a perfect 10 on FX and 9.950 on UB in West Valley City, Utah, last weekend.
Thompson, an All Pac-12 Honorable Mention selection on the bars, made an immediate impact in the Beaver lineup during her first season at Oregon State, ending the regular season with a 9.925 NQS that is tied for 22nd in the nation and eighth in the Pac-12. Having hit in every single one of her 11 bars routines this season, she finished with a 9.900 or higher in eight different meets and never had a score lower than 9.800.
Originally from Lehi, Utah, Thompson was named Pac-12 Coaches' Choice of the Week on Jan. 16 and won two bars event titles thanks to a pair of season-high 9.950s against UCLA (Feb. 9) and Washington (March 8).
Esposito, Carey, Thompson and the rest of the Beavers return to action next week, heading to Fayetteville, Ark., to participate in the program's 49th-consecutive NCAA Regionals appearance.
OUR MISSION
Oregon State Athletics strives to Build Excellent Authentic Visionary Student-Athletes (Go BEAVS).
Players Mentioned
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