For any Senior their last year of not only college gymnastics, but gymnastics in general, can be a hard pill to swallow. Leaving a sport that they have literally done their entire life can be a highly emotional concept to grasp. However, most Senior athletes come to terms with this at the beginning of the season and are prepared to that last competition that they will buckle their grips, pull on their leotard and tighten their hair a little more than usual. For many this moment does not occur until late April at the NCAA National Championships or others it may happen a bit earlier, but they are ready for it they have celebrated their gymnastics journey with their family, friends, coaches & teammates at the extremely emotional Senior Nights that have everyone reminiscing and looking back at glorious careers with fond memories and usually tears in their eyes.
Unfortunately, for these 2020 Graduating Seniors the season did not end in April at the NCAA National Championships, it ended far sooner and more abruptly in March. Many Seniors did not get their Senior Night, they did not get to look back fondly at their gymnastics careers. Instead, due to the Corona Virus, they were left with devastation and heartache, careers ended on someone else’s terms.
We here at the Region 5 Insider, who have followed these athletes from their first Level 10 meets to their last college meet, would like to recognize our Region 5 Alumni for all that that have given to the sport of gymnastics, to our Region, to their JO Clubs and to their schools! These young athletes, who have worked so hard, deserve much more recognition than photo galleries and social media posts, but once you are part of Region 5 you are a Region 5er forever and we take care of our own. So, with that being said we will be recognizing EVERY Graduating NCAA Senior.
We will be starting in this post with the SEC Conference
Amelia Hundley
University of Florida
Cincinnati Gymnastics
Career Highlights
-4 Time All-American
-2017-2018 All-SEC
-2019 WCGA Scholastic All-American
-2018-2020 SEC Academic Honor Roll
-2017 SEC All-Freshman Tean
Career Bests:
Vault: 9.90
Bars: 9.975
Beam: 9.925
Floor: 9.95
AA: 39.625
photo credit: University of Florida Athletics
Rachel Dickson
Georgia
Michigan Elite
Career Highlights:
-2018 First Team All-American
-2018 All-SEC Team Bars
-2017 2nd Team All-American Honors
-2017 First Freshman All-Around All-American since 2006
-2017 First Freshman to compete All-Around since 2013
-2017 Recipient of the Jennifer Moree Gymnastics Excellence Scholarship Endowment
Career Bests:
Vault: 9.975
Bars: 9.925
Beam: 9.925
Floor: 9.975
AA: 39.625
photo credit: University of Georgia Athletics
Shea Mahoney
Alabama
Legacy Elite
Career Highlights:
-2017,2018,2019 Scholastic All-American
-2019 All-SEC
-2019 SEC Community Service Team
-2017,2018,2019 SEC Academic Honor Roll
Career Bests:
Vault: 9.9
Bars: 9.95
Floor: 9.95
photo credit: University of Alabama Athletics
**Please remember if we missed an athlete it was not intentional, please let us know & we will add her to the feature. Thank You**
