PROVO, Utah – Nine Cougars were named to the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference All-Academic Team on Friday.
"I'm just really proud of our team," BYU head coach Guard Young said. "Not only did they get the accolades during a rigorous compeition schedule, but in the classroom as well. They are student athletes who always remember the true reason why they are here and embody the whole mantra. I'm proud of our freshmen who had almost all straight A's. I think that's really impressive for their first year out at BYU."
To be eligible for the award, a student athlete must have a 3.2 cumulative GPA and have appeared on the squad list for the 2016 season.
Seniors Makenzie Johnson Halliday, Mikaela Jones and Emily Vidmar were among BYU’s top recipients. The Cougars also boasted two sophomores and four freshmen with standout academic performances.
BYU finished third at the MRGC Conference Championship in March with a season-high total of 196.100. The Cougars advanced to the NCAA Regionals and took sixth place before finishing the season ranked No. 34 in the nation.
BYU gymnastics tied with women’s golf for the highest team GPA (3.41) of all the BYU athletic teams during winter semester.
| Honoree | Class | Major |
|---|---|---|
| Taylor Harward | Junior | Business managment |
| Cheyenne Hill | Freshman | Open major |
| Makenzie Johnson Halliday | Senior | Exercise and wellness |
| Mikaela Jones | Senior | Exercise and wellness |
| Savanna Maradiaga | Freshman | Open major |
| Marielle Mitchell | Freshman | Biology |
| Natasha Trejo | Freshman | Dietetics |
| Emily Vidmar | Senior | Exercise science |
| Jessie Westergard | Sophomore | Athletic training |