Gym: 2019 RETURNERS

The GymDawgs bring back eight from last year's NCAA Nationals squad // 1.3.18

By Washington Huskies

January 4^th, 2019

The GymDawgs will look to keep an unprecedented streak of success going as they try to make their third consecutive NCAA Nationals trip for the first time in program history. Washington will bring back two NCAA Regionals floor champions and two All-Pac-12 performers.

"Our returners have impressed me since the season ended last year," said head coach Elise Ray-Statz. "They trained hard the entire summer to refine and learn upgrades to their routines. Since preseason started, they've trained smart, worked hard, and, most importantly, set the tone for this season. They have so much passion and internal drive. It is truly a special group, and I don't say that lightly."

This year, the GymDawgs will compete against the nation's best all season long, beginning with a matchup against 2018 Super Six participant Nebraska. Twice more the GymDawgs will face teams from last year's Super Six, including on Sunday, February 10, when they host 2018 national champion UCLA.

KRISTYN HOFFA

Fresh off a 2018 NCAA Regionals floor championship, Hoffa returns as one of three GymDawg seniors this year. Three times in the final five meets of the season, Hoffa reached her career-best with a score of 9.900 on floor, an event she went over 9.800 ten times on the season. On vault, Hoffa set a new career high as well with two scores of 9.850, including one against UC Davis and Seattle Pacific that earned her an event title. She only have four performances all year on any event with scores under 9.750, while reaching 9.875 or higher six times on floor alone.

MONICA RILEY

Riley continued to shine on bars in 2018, earning All-Pac-12 Second Team honors, one of three GymDawgs to make it to the All-Pac-12 teams. She had a score under 9.800 on bars just once, ending the year with 11 consecutive performances with scores of 9.850 or higher. That included a score of 9.950 against UC Davis and Seattle Pacific, the highest score of any GymDawg on any event this season. That performance broke Riley's career high, which had been set just one week earlier when she had a score of 9.925 at Southern Utah.

Riley was also an integral part of Washington's vault team, earning a score of 9.800 or higher eight times.

MALORY ROSE

Rose was Washington's preeminent beam specialist in 2018, with eight of her last nine performances earning a score of 9.800 or above. She set a new career high at Arizona State with a score of 9.900 on beam, then matched that two meets later at Southern Utah to win an event title. Rose would end the season with two beam event titles to her name.

MADISON COPIAK

Copiak followed up her All-American 2017 campaign with another impressive year in 2018, bringing her skills to Washington's vault, bars, and beam squads every meet. She averaged a score over 9.800 on both bars and beam, at 9.810 and 9.815, respectively. On vault, Copiak peaked with an 9.875 against Boise State and BYU, a new career high that also earned her an event title. She ended the 2018 campaign with new career highs on all three events she competed in, hitting 9.900 on bars twice and on beam once.

MICHAELA NELSON

Nelson's 2018 was defined by her consistency, with the Maryland native going over a score of 9.800 17 times across three events. She began the year as a part of Washington's bars squad, helping that group find success all year long. Midway through the season, Nelson jumped into the floor lineup, earning a score over 9.800 in eight of her nine competitions, including a 9.875 mark that set a new career high. Nelson would even compete on beam once for the GymDawgs, earning a score of 9.825 in her only meet in that event.

EVANNI ROBERSON

After missing her freshman year with injury, Roberson exploded onto the college scene, earning All-Pac-12 Second Team honors on beam and competing in all-around ten times. She excelled in every event, earning scores of 9.850 or higher twice on vault, four times on bars, eight times on beam, and four times on floor. In all, she earned seven scores of 9.900 or higher, including two scores of 9.925 on beam. Roberson won six event titles on the year, picking up four consecutive beam event titles at one point during the season.

MAYA WASHINGTON

The GymDawgs second returning NCAA Regionals floor champion, Washington was one of the nation's best on floor and just as impressive on bars and beam. Washington reached a score of 9.900 six times on floor alone, ending the season with 13 straight competitions earning a score over 9.800. That helped her pick up three event titles, all on floor, including her NCAA Regionals win.

In addition to matching her career high on floor, Washington set a new career high on beam with a score of 9.850 at Southern Utah. She also had a score of 9.875 on bars at that meet, narrowly missing a new career high on that event as well.

GENEVA THOMPSON

Thompson will enter her sophomore year fresh and ready for competition after missing last year with injury. Her career before coming to Washington is riddled with success, including a clean sweep of the 2017 Region 2 Championships, where she won every event before finishing third on vault at Nationals.