Ithaca, NY – Nine Centenary gymnasts were named Academic All-Americans for the 2022-23 academic year by the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA), the organization announced on Thursday.

Brown University, Texas Woman's University and the University of Minnesota posted the top three team grade-point averages (GPAs) for the 2022-23 academic year based on data submitted to the organization. Centenary's 3.39 team GPA ranked 68^th in the country among all divisions (D1/II/III).

"Once again, our student-athletes continue to pursue excellence in the classroom at an incredibly high level. To see such amazing academic results, year in and year out, shows how dedicated our gymnasts are in all areas of their college experience," Melanie Hall, WCGA Chair of the Board and Head coach at Cornell University, said. "Across all conferences and divisions, the passion, grit, determination and constant time management skills our athletes display, is truly inspiring."

Overall, 1,075 student-athletes earned a 3.5 or higher GPA on a 4.0 scale, 68.65% of all reporting gymnasts, and the 2^nd most ever by total number and percentage (since 2008). There were 228 (14.56%) student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA. This was the third year in a row with more than 1,000 Scholastic All-America winners, and four of the top five universities broke into the lineup for the first time ever! Across all gymnasts this year, the average GPA was a 3.5685 which is the 3^rd highest (since available records in 2015), 54 institutions had a team GPA of a 3.5 or better, and in seven of the last eight years, at least one institution each year has had 100% of its athletes qualify for this prestigious award.

All nine Ladies honored boasted a 3.5 overall grade point average or better and two Ladies –senior Kendall Huff (Riviera, Texas), and senior Kennedy Stephens (Bella Vista, Ark.) achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA and were just two of 228 (14.56%) student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA.

The other seven Ladies honored are senior Rose Deshler (Hastings, Minn.), junior Isabel Plaza (San Antonio, Texas), senior Taylor Ann Wilson (Memphis, Tenn.), sophomore Emma Lavelle (Mandeville, La.), sophomore Carissa Martinez (Albuquerque, N.M.), freshman Sophie Schmitz (Trophy Club, Texas), and freshman Olivia Stratmann (Houston, Texas).

The complete list of Ladies and majors is below:

Senior Kendall Huff (Riviera, Texas): Accounting and Business

Senior Kennedy Stephens (Bella Vista, Ark.): Psychology

Senior Rose Deshler (Hastings, Minn.): Biology and Neuroscience

Junior Isabel Plaza (San Antonio, Texas): Biology  

Senior Taylor Ann Wilson (Memphis, Tenn.): Biology

Sophomore Emma Lavelle (Mandeville, La.): Biology and Math

Sophomore Carissa Martinez (Albuquerque, N.M.), Communication

Freshman Sophie Schmitz (Trophy Club, Texas), Business

Freshman Olivia Stratmann (Houston, Texas), Kinesiology

The WCGA is the advocate for women's collegiate gymnastics.

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