McLean County Times

The Illinois State gymnastics program has achieved a significant academic milestone, ranking 27th in the nation for team cumulative grade point average (GPA) during the 2023-24 academic year. The Redbirds reported a GPA of 3.6782 based on data submitted to the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA). Additionally, 20 current and former student-athletes from the program were named Scholastic All-America team members.

"I'm very proud of our team's accomplishments this past year," said ISU head coach Bob Conkling. "To finish in the top 30 of all programs in the nation and to have so many on the team reach Scholastic All-America status from the WCGA is a tribute to their dedication and hard work, both in the gym and the classroom."

Nationwide, 63 programs averaged a GPA of 3.5 or higher, with 1,174 individuals achieving that mark—the highest recorded since statistics began being monitored in 2008. A record-breaking 296 student-athletes posted a perfect 4.0 GPA, including five from Illinois State. The average GPA across all reported student-athletes was 3.6103, marking it as the second-highest ever recorded.

"With another year in the books, our student-athletes continue to raise the bar in the classroom in addition to on the competition floor," said WCGA Board Chair Casey Jo MacPherson. "Their impressive academic achievements are a testament to their hard work, dedication, and steadfast commitment to succeeding in all aspects of their lives."

Redbird gymnasts Jada Beswick, Leah Davis, Isabella DeCroo, Kaitlyn Donovan, Mackenzie Flutman, Reese Grolla,

Carly Hawksworth, Julia Heiner, Reagan Hestermann, Madison Kipp, Angelica Labat, Alana Laster, Ally Lau,

Jaye Mack, Jazmine Neely,Mia Oh,Mya Robinson,Sara Wabi,and Joe Ziegenfelder each earned GPAs of 3.5 or above to receive WCGA Scholastic All-America honors.

The WCGA advocates for women's collegiate gymnastics and publishes this list annually.