Awards are given by NCATA and conference offices.
Athlete of the Week
Riley Chimwala – Baylor
Chimwala, a senior base from Plano, Texas competed in 20 heats and two team events as Baylor opened the season with wins over Texas Lutheran and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. During the two meets, Chimwala helped Baylor to 11 heats that scored a 9.80 or higher, including a 9.90 in the compulsory and open pyramid heats. She was also instrumental in Baylor’s team event that scored above 96.00 twice to open the season.
Specialist of the Week
Erena Chaples – Belmont Abbey
Chaples, a senior from Independence, Missouri, was a standout top in pyramid event as Belmont Abbey opened the season with a win over Mars Hill. Chaples led BAC to a 9.95 in the inversion pyramid, followed by a 9.75 in the synchronized pyramid. She competes a shoulder level hand-in-hand on top of a bridge in the inversion pyramid. In the synchronized pyramid, Chaples competes a straddle with a 270 flip.
Freshman of the Week
Emily Bott – Baylor
Bott, a freshman top and tumbler from East Slip, N.Y., competed in 14 heats and team event across Baylor’s first two meets of the season. Her performance helped Baylor score a 9.50 or higher in 10 heats during the two meets, including a 9.80 and 9.90 in the aerial tumbling pass in back-to-back meets. She also helped Baylor to a 9.80 in compulsory toss.
Athlete of the Week
Kristin Fary – Belmont Abbey
A senior base/tumbler from Fort Mill, South Carolina, Kristin Fary of Belmont Abbey was part of a strong season-opening performance in the win over Mars Hill this past Saturday. In the compulsory event, she competed in acro, pyramid and toss with an 8.95, 9.3 and 9.1. She also competed in acro heat 3 with a 9.55 out of 10 where she competed as a base for a high hand in hand press down to straddle. Additionally, Fary competed in all three heats of the pyramid event with a 9.95, 9.75, and 9.75 and competed as a tosser and catcher in those heats. She’s also in toss heat 2 and 3 with an 8.8/9.3 and 9/9.3 where she competed as a back spot for an Arabian salto open 180. Fary also competed in the team event with a 96.54/101.49 as a back spot in tosses, tosser and catcher in pyramids and a base in acros.
Specialist of the Week
Erena Chaples – Belmont Abbey
A senior top/tumbler from Independence, Missouri, Erena Chaples of Belmont Abbey competed in Pyramids heat 1 and 2 and received a 9.95 and 9.75 out of 10. She served as a top in both. Fary competes a shoulder level hand in hand on top of a bridge in heat 1 and a straddle with a 270 flip down in heat 2. In the event, the Crusaders finished 0.55 points from a perfect score in relation to start value. Belmont Abbey also finished one of its highest point totals in a season-opening meet with 264.64 in a win over Mars Hill.
Athlete of the Week
Laiken Spahr – Frostburg State
Spahr, a senior base and tumbler from Strasburg, Pa., helped Frostburg State post seven scores of 9.60 or higher, including a 9.75 in both the compulsory toss and synchronized pyramid heats. Individually, she turned in a score of 9.225 in the aerial tumbling pass, before leading Frostburg State to a score of 89.82 in team event.
