Awards are given by NCATA and conference offices.
Athlete of the Week
Riley Chimwala – Baylor
Chimwala, a senior base from Plano, Texas, competed in 10 heats and team event to lead Baylor to its third win of the season on Sunday against Oregon. Chimwala’s performance was highlighted by seven scores of 9.75 or higher, including a 9.95 in compulsory pyramid and 9.90 in synchronized pyramid. She also helped the top-ranked Bears to a score of 96.66 in team event.
Specialist of the Week
Jordan Gruendler – Baylor
Gruendler, a junior top from San Antonio, Texas, was a standout in the acro event for Baylor this week. Gruendler helped Baylor record a 9.95 in seven-element acro and 9.85 in five-element acro. In her season-high score in the seven-element, Gruendler performs a “ring,” followed by an arch and one-handed arch.
Freshman of the Week
Payton Washington – Baylor
Washington, a top and tumbler from Round Rock, Texas, competed in eight heats and team event for the Bears this week against Oregon. Her performance was highlighted by five scores of 9.75 or higher, including a 9.95 in the six-element tumbling pass and a 9.90 in the synchronized pyramid.
Athlete of the Week
Cameron King – Limestone
A junior base/tumbler from Peletier, North Carolina, Cameron King performed in 10 heats in a battle of top-10 teams last week. In seventh-ranked Limestone’s league win over 10th-ranked Belmont Abbey, King performed in three out of four compulsory heats and scored a 9.5 in Heat 1, a 9.9 in Heat 2 and a 9.8 in Heat 3. She also contributed in the Acro 5 and 7 element heats, scoring a 9.35 in 5 element Acro and a 9.7 in seven element. In the Synchronized Pyramid she scored a 9.85. In the toss heat, she based the synchronized heat and the open toss by scoring a 9.25 and an 8.95 (out of 9.4). King was also a huge part of Limestone’s team event, basing two acro sections and mid-basing a 10.0 start value pyramid. She also completed a running tumbling pass while also serving as the base for two tosses.
Specialist of the Week
Genesis Carson – Limestone
A junior top/tumbler from Newport News, Virginia, Genesis Carson competed in all three pyramid heats in seventh-ranked Limestone’s conference win over 10th-ranked Belmont Abbey. Carson completed three different top positions within each heat. For inversion pyramid, she completed a 1-1 high handstand by scoring a 9.85/10.0. For the synchronized heat, she completed a 1-1 vertical press extension and scored a 9.85/10.0. For the open pyramid, she completed a straddle bridge pyramid and scored a 9.9/10.0.
Athlete of the Week
Chloe Smith – Fairmont State
Smith, a junior top and tumbler from Parkersburg, W.Va., competed in eight heats and team event to help lead Fairmont State to a 262.715-251.260 victory over West Liberty on Sunday afternoon. Smith’s performance was highlighted by three scores of 9.45 or higher, including a 9.85 in compulsory toss and a 9.80 in open pyramid. She also helped Fairmont State record a 91.69 in team event, the highest score in the MEC last week.
