The 2022-23 Wildcat Gymnastics Team Celebrated at its Annual Team Banquet on May 7
Wildcats Hold Year-End Celebration
6/2/2023 10:11:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
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Gorgenyi named Team MVP to headline team awards
DURHAM, N.H. – The UNH gymnastics team formally concluded its 2023 season with a year-end celebration Sunday, May 7 in the Skybox Lounge at the Whittemore Center Arena. Senior co-captain Robyn Kelley (Wakefield, Mass.) received the Katie Baldwin Academic Achievement Award and the Most Inspirational Award while classmate Kylie Gorgenyi (North Reading, Mass.) was feted as Team MVP.
Head Coach Lindsey Bruck Ayotte & Robyn Kelley
Kelley recorded a 3.90 cumulative grade point average as a justice studies and psychology major to boast the team's highest GPA for the third straight year (shared award with Lauren Diggan in 2022). The native of Wakefield, Mass., is a two-time inductee of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society. She is a four-time EAGL All-Scholastic Team representative and is expected to earn her fourth straight berth on the WCGA Scholastic All-America Team this summer. Her academic accolades earned Kelley a place on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Women's At-Large Team, announced May 23.
Assistant Coach Amanda Keglovits & Robyn Kelley
Assistant coach Amanda Keglovits presented Kelley with the Most Inspirational Award for bouncing back from an injury-missed 2022 season to become All-EAGL First Team on balance beam and the EAGL co-beam champion with an EAGL Championship record-tying 9.950 (March 18, Whittemore Center Arena) on her way to an NCAA Regional Championship berth at the University of Oklahoma.
"Robyn, you have won this award for a reason," Keglovits said. "You are an inspiration to all and have truly shown how important this team was to you even on your most challenging days. You are an amazing leader and confidant to all. We know that you will continue to succeed and take these qualities to your future career."
Head Coach Lindsey Bruck Ayotte & Kylie Gorgenyi
Gorgenyi was selected Team MVP following a season in which she earned All-EAGL First Team accolades on uneven bars and Second Team on vault and floor exercise. She scored a personal-best and school-record-tying 9.950 on bars at Texas Woman's University on Feb. 5. The native of North Reading, Mass., scored a 9.850 or higher 11 times in 13 meets, and she eclipsed the 9.900 mark six times.
"Her performances have been nothing short of awe inspiring, highlighting her incredible athleticism, grace and precision," head coach Lindsey Bruck Ayotte said. "From her flawless execution of difficult routines to her unwavering focus under pressure, she has proven time and time again that she is a force to be reckoned with. Her commitment to excellence has not gone unnoticed, inspiring her teammates to push themselves to new heights and raising the bar for our entire team."
Gorgenyi, who subsequently earned UNH's Jim Urquhart Student-Athlete of the Year Award on May 10, announced she will return to the Wildcats for a fifth year of eligibility in 2024.
Associate Head Coach Steve Avgerinos & Alyssa Beaulieu
Associate head coach Steve Avgerinos presented sophomore Alyssa Beaulieu (Holyoke, Mass.) with the Most Improved Gymnast award. Beaulieu was the Wildcats' most durable competitor who competed all-around all 12 meets. The All-EAGL First Team all-arounder ranked eighth in the conference with a 38.950 National Qualifying Score (NQS) that included a personal-best 39.175 on Feb. 12. The Holyoke, Mass., native recorded career highs of 9.825 on vault (Feb. 26), 9.900 on bars (Feb. 12), 9.875 on beam (March 12) and 9.850 on floor (Feb. 17, Feb. 26).
"One of my favorite aspects of coaching NCAA gymnastics is being able to witness first-hand and participate in the transformation that these athletes undergo during their collegiate careers," Avgerinos said. "After a slow start to her career, she really got it going during her sophomore campaign. Competing in the all-around every single meet -that's 48 routines for those of you keeping score—18 of those routines 9.800 or higher, 394.725 points (highest on team) and 16.9% of team points for the year, comparing those numbers to her previous year, it should come as no surprise."
Associate Head Coach Steve Avgerinos & Leah Moreno
Freshman Leah Moreno (Cary, N.C.) garnered Newcomer of the Year honors. Moreno competed bars in every meet with a personal-best 9.825 (Jan. 29), and she scored a career-high 9.725 on vault at the EAGL Championship in the Whitt.
"She performed in every single meet this year and hit 100 percent of her routines," Avgerinos said. "She put up 155.640 points and contributed over 18 percent of our team bar points, where she was a rock-solid spot in our lineup. I cannot wait to see what the rest of her time as a Wildcat holds."
Assistant Coach Amanda Keglovits & Sierra Bauman
Junior Sierra Bauman (Wallingford, Conn.) received the team's inaugural Unsung Hero Award.
"She deserves to be celebrated and recognized for her commitment, consistency and hard work this season," Keglovits said. "We admire her tenacity to compete for her teammates and her humbleness in doing so. She was ready to go on all four events and trusted by the team in every competitive situation."
Head Coach Lindsey Bruck Ayotte & Olivia Queri
Another first-time honor of special recognition was bestowed upon student assistant coach Olivia Queri (Victor, N.Y.), who received the Appreciation Award.
"She has gone above and beyond her duties, always putting in the extra effort," Bruck Ayotte said. "Her positive attitude and infectious enthusiasm have been a driving force for our team, and we are truly grateful for all that she has done."
Robert E. Houston, Sr. "Pop" introduced the 9.5 Club in 1989 as a threefold award presented as an acknowledgement of dedication, an appreciation of physical effort and a token of a high degree of proficiency attained. Each gymnast who scored a 9.500 or higher during the season was recognized:
