Thomas
FILE - Florida's Trinity Thomas competes on the uneven bars during an NCAA gymnastics meet against Georgia on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, in Gainesville, Fla. Thomas, the defending NCAA all-around champion, has 27 perfect 10s in her career, one short of the NCAA record. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough, File)

Trinity Thomas Named College Gym News Gymnast of the Year

Rafael De Los Santos April 18, 2023 Former Gators, Gators Gymnastics, Gymnastics, SEC 914 Views

In what has become a tradition in her storied Gators career, Trinity Thomas leaves with yet another honor to her name. After a stellar 2023 season, the super senior out of York, Pennsylvania, has been named College Gym News Gymnast of the Year. Thomas won the inaugural award for College Gym News Gymnast of the Year in 2021 and this is her second time winning the title.

Criteria

Based on predetermined criteria, CGN staff members submitted nominations for candidates in eight categories. The field was then reduced, and editors decided the winner solely on the basis of regular season performance. No one could receive more than one honor. If this does happen, the prize went to the second-place finisher in the secondary category.

Season Highlights:

• Career NCAA 10.0 co-leader. Earned 28th perfect mark in NCAA Championships team final vault competition to help Florida to a runner-up finish
• All-America first-team honors for vault and uneven bars in NCAA Championships semifinal
• 2023 SEC Gymnast of the Year. Joins Alabama’s Andreé Pickens as only three-time recipients in award’s history
• Was one of two in SEC Championship meet history with two 10.0s in a single meet
• Nation’s 10.0 leader in each of the last three seasons: 2021 (4), 2022 (12), 2023 (8)
• Second consecutive SEC Gymnast of the Week after posting the nation’s third-highest all-around score
• Florida’s career all-around leader (30), passing Bridget Sloan (27) with a win vs Missouri
• Led Florida in 2023 with 29 event wins (9 floor, 7 bars, vault, 5 all-around & vault, 3 beam). Florida’s career leader with 142 event titles
(Stats Courtesy of FloridaGators.com)

Who Else but Thomas?

Thomas dazzled in her fifth season, placing third in the all-around, hitting an event total as high as 39.850 and racking up seven perfect 10s throughout the regular season. She eventually tied for the most 10.0s in NCAA history alongside UCLA’s Jamie Dantzscher and Kentucky’s Jenny Hansen during the national team final with her flawless vault to complete her illustrious career with 28 at the NCAA Championship. 

Other Nominees: Haleigh Bryant (LSU), Jade Carey (Oregon State), Jordan Chiles (UCLA), Jordan Bowers (Oklahoma), Sunisa Lee (Auburn).

Keep Them Coming

Along with her CGN honor, Thomas has also been named a finalist for the 2023 Honda Award. The CWSA honors the top female student-athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports each year with the Honda Sports Award. All Honda Sports award winners become finalists for the renowned 2023 Honda Cup award. Honda Sports award winners will get their recognition during on-campus ceremonies throughout the year.

Should she win the award, Thomas would become the third Gator to win the award twice. She’d join Kytra Hunter (2012, 2015) and Bridget Sloan (2013, 2016).

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About Rafael De Los Santos

Junior studying Journalism - Sports & Media at the University of Florida

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