PROVO, Utah – BYU senior captain Elease Rollins has been named a nominee for the 2023 AAI Award, presented to the nation's most outstanding senior.
The AAI Award is widely considered the Heisman Trophy of women's gymnastics. AAI has been awarding this honor for more than 30 years. NCAA head coaches were asked to submit a nomination for the candidate or candidates of their choice. After the initial nominations, the field will be narrowed to the top six student-athletes.
Rollins is amongst 39 gymnasts nominated for the AAI Award, including one of just two from the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference, along with Utah State’s Sofi Sullivan.
The West Jordan, Utah native has competed on the balance beem in all seven meets for BYU this season, scoring above a 9.900 in five. With a 9.9 average on the apparatus, Rollins is currently ranked No. 16 nationally. Her career high on the beam is 9.975, and her season-high is 9.950, earned in a dual meet against SUU on Firday, Feb. 10.
With five scores above 9.9 in her senior season, Rollins has earned four MRGC weekly accolades. She was named a WCGA All-American on Beam following her 2022 season with a final NQS of 9.930. Her 9.975 on the beam ties for the second-highest beam score in BYU history.
Rollins earned All-MRGC First Team Beam honors in 2021, and was named MRGC Beam Specialist of the Year in 2022. She is a 10-time MRGC Beam Specialist of the Week honoree.