Alabama gymnast finishes strong at NCAA Championships

April 14, 2023

WVUA 23 News,

Wgy — Alabama gymnast Luisa Blanco performs a floor routine during the 2023 NCAA Gymnastics Regional at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, OK on Saturday, Apr 1, 2023. Photo by Rodger Champion

By WVUA 23 Sports Reporter Jeremy Bryant

Luisa Blanco continues to blaze a trail of excellence with her performance at the NCAA Championships that earned her a tie for second place on the uneven bars. Blanco scored a 9.950,landing her first team All-America honors.

So proud‼️ Thank you for representing our program so well, @Luisablanco20_ ❤️#RollTide | #MTM pic.twitter.com/PpRjgihWBS

— Alabama Gymnastics (@BamaGymnastics) April 14, 2023

“She took advantage of the opportunity to compete as an individual and delivered on the biggest stage in NCAA Gymnastics,” said Alabama gymnastics head coach Ashley Johnston. “Waiting all day to compete one routine is not an easy thing to do, and the fact that she was able to compete as well as she did in that moment is a testament to her determination and strength and how fierce of a competitor she is. She was an incredible representative of the University of Alabama today and our whole team is so excited for her.”

Blanco finished in a five-way tie for second place in the uneven bars along with Utah’s Grace McCallum and Maile O’Keefe, Florida’s Trinity Thomas and Michigan’s Abby Heiskell.

UCLA’s Jordan Chiles claim the NCAA Championship title in the event with a perfect score of 10.000.

Blanco’s showing at the championships was the fourth instance in which she has scored at least a 9.950 on the uneven bars this season, but few have accomplished the accolades that Blanco has accrued during her time at Alabama. She lengthened her laundry list of awards this year by winning three regular season All-America honors. She has 16 All-America honors in her college career, just two behind the program record of 18 (Jeana Rice, 2001-2004).