Keeker, Gardiner & Ricci Top Pac-12 Academic Team
SAN FRANCISCO – Senior Taylor Keeker and sophomores Madeline Gardiner and Taylor Ricci led 10 Oregon State gymnasts who were recognized for their diligence in the classroom when the 2015 Pac-12 Conference Women’s Gymnastics All-Academic teams were announced today.
It is the third all-academic award for Keeker and the first for Gardiner and Ricci. Katelyn Ohlrich and Kailie Ponto each earned second team honors, the third straight for Ohlrich and first such honor for Ponto. Erika Aufiero, Megan Jimenez, Kaytianna McMillan, Chelsea Tang and Cerise Witherby were named honorable mention. It is the first academic awards for Jimenez and McMillan and the second honorable mention selection for Aufiero and third for Tang and Witherby.
To be eligible for selection to the academic team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average and have participated in at least 50-percent of competitions in the regular season.
Keeker, a senior from Keizer, Ore., has performed in the vault and uneven bars lineups in every meet for the Beavers in 2015. She has ‘hit’ 21 out of 22 routines this season and has set career-high marks on both events with a 9.925 on the vault and 9.825 on the bars. Working on a double major, Keeker will graduate with her first degree, in human development and family sciences, in June and will complete her second degree, in education, in December.
Gardiner, a sophomore from Cambridge, Ontario, has performed in the all-around in eight meets in 2015 and has ‘hit’ 40 out of 41 routines on the year. This season, the Pac-12 All-Conference First Teamer in the all-around has established new personal-bests on vault (9.900), bars (9.875), beam (9.925) and in the all-around (39.450). Gardiner, who is majoring in exercise and sport science, leads the Beavers with nine individual titles this year.
Ricci, a sophomore from North Vancouver, B.C., has had her first impact on OSU’s lineup this season performing on the vault seven times with a season-best of 9.850. Ricci, who is also studying exercise and sport science, is also a primary reserve on the floor exercise.
Ohlrich, a senior from Bend, Ore., has competed in the balance beam lineup most of the season ‘hitting’ eight out of 10 routines. Ohlrich, a mechanical engineering student, set a season-high mark of 9.800 twice.
Ponto, a senior from Kenmore, Wash., was part of the floor exercise lineup until a knee injury ended her season prematurely. The biology major ‘hit’ all eight of her routines the last two seasons.
Aufiero, a junior majoring in finance, has performed on the vault and bars in all 11 meets setting career-highs of 9.925 on both events. In all, Aufiero has ‘hit’ 20 out of 22 routines on the season.
Jimenez, a sophomore studying exercise and sport science, has competed on the vault in every meet this season ‘hitting’ all 11 vaults. Jimenez set a personal-best of 9.875 twice earlier this season.
McMillan, a sophomore with an undecided major, has set career-high scores in four events including vault (9.900), bars (9.900), floor (9.925) and in the all-around 39.400. Recently, McMillan tallied the first 9.90 of her career on the vault becoming the ninth gymnast in OSU history to record a 9.90 or better on all four events. She has ‘hit’ 27 out of 29 routines in 2015.
Tang, a senior studying exercise and sport science, earned Pac-12 All-Conference First Team honors on the floor exercise and second team accolades on the balance beam this season. The Eugene, Ore. native has ‘hit’ 33 out of 36 routines in 2015 and set career-highs on bars (9.925), beam (9.925) and floor (9.950) this season.
Witherby, a senior majoring in exercise and sport science, has performed on the vault, beam and floor exercise in 2015 ‘hitting’ 24 out of 25 routines. The Huntington Beach, Calif. native has posted career-highs of 9.800 on vault and 9.925 on the floor this year with a season-best of 9.850 on the beam.
The Beavers travel to the NCAA Norman Regional Championships hosted by Oklahoma this Saturday, April 4 at 2 p.m. PT.
