The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnastics team finished second at the 2024 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships hosted by Ursinus in Collegeville, Pennsylvania Saturday. Freshman
Hayden Gough (Dallas, Texas/Dallas International School) captured the national title on the uneven bars to bolster the runner-up finish.
The Warhawks recorded an overall total of 193.575 - the third-highest team total in UWW history. Along the way, UW-Whitewater registered top ten team marks in every event including posting the third-best bars score in program history - 48.525.
UW-Whitewater had a phenomenal meet on the uneven bars culminating in Warhawks' securing two of the top three spots in the event. Gough became the Warhawks' seventh national champion on the uneven bars and first since 2016 (Mackenzie Smith) with a routine scoring 9.85 to tie for first. That mark is the second-highest recorded by a Warhawk in program history on the apparatus. Teammate
Kelsey Kollhoff (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) claimed bronze in the event with a score of 9.825.
Carley Scott (Oak Grove, Mo./Grain Valley) added a top eight finish with a 9.725 followed by
Estee Flom (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek) (9.65) and
Gracie Talley (Collierville, Tenn./Briarcrest Christian) (9.475).
Kollhoff paced the Warhawks on the floor exercise with the tenth-highest score in UWW history, 9.825, to tie for seventh at the 2024 championships.
Carleigh Moore (Oregon, Wis./Oregon) posted a 9.75 while
Tegan Haberstock (Alberta, Canada/National Sport School) and
Kara Welsh (Plainfield, Ill./Central) each scored 9.725.
Danielle Dudziak (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele) rounded out the scoring five with a 9.7.
On the vault,
Ava Pesch (Waterford, Wis./Waterford Union),
Chloe Hammond (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny) and Welsh all scored 9.675 to tie for 12th. Moore's routine scored 9.625 and
Brianna Balian (Peoria, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) added a 9.55 to the team total.
Sarah Knetzke (Ozark, Mo./Springfield Catholic) had the high score for UWW on the balance beam with a 9.75 to finish among the top 15. Hammond scored a 9.675 while
Paige Magel (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge) and Haberstock each added 9.65s.
Ashnaya Gupta (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) wrapped up the scoring five with a 9.4.
The second-place finish is the highest for UW-Whitewater since 2018. UWW has finished first or second at the national championships eight times since 2011. UW-Oshkosh won the 2024 title with a total of 194.975.
UW-Whitewater Head Coach Jen Regan was inducted into the NCGA Hall of Fame at the Championship Banquet on Friday night. Regan was inducted for her success as a student-athlete while at Springfield College. Regan was a two-time All-American and a member of the 1996 national championship team.
