STANFORD, Calif. – Coming off of two consecutive NCAA Championships appearances, returning 11 gymnasts and bringing in a talented six-member freshman class, Stanford women's gymnastics had high expectations entering the 2014 season.
The Cardinal did not disappoint.
Stanford returned to the NCAA Championships for the 11th time in the past 14 years, three gymnasts combined for five All-America honors, two gymnasts earned regional titles on bars and the Cardinal finished second at the Pac-12 Championships – its highest finish since 2010.
There were plenty of regular season highlights as well, including Stanford's first dual meet victory against Georgia in program history, defeating fourth-ranked Utah and head coach Kristen Smyth earning her 200th career victory in a dual-meet at No. 24 Washington.
Kristina Vaculik had an outstanding season capped by First Team All-America honors in the all-around, bars and floor. She finished third in the nation on bars and seventh on beam. Vaculik led Stanford with 16 individual victories, hitting 90 percent (46-for-51) of her routines on the season. She earned three Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week awards – the most of any gymnast in the conference.
The 2014 season also saw the emergence of Nicolette McNair who was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, the fourth in Stanford history. She was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team on vault and bars, earning six individual victories and hitting 95 percent (37-of-39) of her routines in her regular lineup spots on vault, bars and beam.
The Cardinal will have a couple of holes to fill with the graduation of seniors Amanda Spinner and Shona Morgan, both of whom have been significant contributors over the past four years. Morgan had a strong senior campaign, earning First Team All-America accolades on bars and placing ninth at the NCAA Individual Event Finals. Spinner finished her collegiate career with perfect hit-percentage on beam and scored 9.850 or higher in all 13 competitions in 2014.
Stanford expects to be well-prepared with an experienced core returning in 2015, including rising seniors Samantha Shapiro, Ivana Hong, Pauline Hanset, Rebecca Wing and Alex Archer. Shapiro earned First Team All-America honors on bars and placed second in the nation in the event with a 9.925 at the event finals. Hong, Hanset, Wing and Archer each carry NCAA Championships experience that should prove valuable as seniors.
The Cardinal received regular contributions from its sophomore class consisting of Melissa Chuang, Jenna Frowein and Taylor Rice, and will expect them to be major factors moving forward. Chuang was a regular in vault and floor lineups, while Frowein provided consistency in the floor rotation. Rice made her collegiate debut on bars this season after a standout freshman campaign in 2013 and found success competing as an all-arounder.
The freshman class adjusted quickly to collegiate gymnastics and generated positive results throughout the year. Rachel Daum and Danielle McNair found regular lineup spots in multiple events, while Haley Spector made five appearances on floor. Sophia Lee and Carinne Gale were limited by injuries during the season but made positive contributions during practice and competitions.
Expectations will remain high for Stanford moving forward as it returns a strong foundation and wealth of postseason experience.
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The following is a rundown on honors accumulated by the team and individuals from the 2014 season:
Team
11 NCAA Championship appearances in 14 years
Three gymnasts combined for five All-America honors
80 All-America honors since 2002
31st consecutive NCAA regional appearance
Two NCAA Baton Rouge Regional champions on bars
Second-place finish at Pac-12 Championships
Head coach Kristen Smyth earned her 200th victory (Feb. 8 at No. 24 Washington)
14th fourth-place or higher finish at Pac-12 Championships since 2001
Four gymnasts combined for five All-Pac-12 honors
Nine Pac-12 All-Academic selections
Defeated Georgia in a dual meet for the first time in program history
Improved to 2-0 against Utah at home (first victory came in 1998)
Team Awards
Gymnasts of the Year: Amanda Spinner and Shona Morgan
MVP: Kristina Vaculik
Academic Award: Shona Morgan
Most Improved: Jenna Frowein
Most Inspirational: Carinne Gale
Individual Accomplishments
Melissa Chuang
- Contributed a 9.850 on floor and a 9.775 on vault at the NCAA Championship Semifinals (April 18)
- Tied for individual victories on vault (9.900) and floor (9.900) against No. 22 California (March 3)
- Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
- Contributed scores on floor (9.850), beam (9.825) and vault (9.800) at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 18)
- Scored a career-best 9.900 on vault to tie for the individual victory, and tied for fourth on floor with a 9.850 against No. 22 California (March 3)
- Named the Pac-12 Newcomer of the Week for the week of Jan. 13-19 - the first Stanford gymnast to ever receive the honor
- Made her collegiate debut at the NorCal Quad Meet and hit both of her routines on vault and floor (Jan. 5)
- Pac-12 All-Academic First Team
- Contributed a 9.825 on floor against No. 4 Utah to help Stanford secure a victory (Feb. 17)
- Made her collegiate debut at the NorCal Quad Meet (Jan. 5)
Pauline Hanset
- Tied for the individual win on floor with a 9.875 in a quad meet at UC Davis (Jan. 26)
- Earned an individual victory and set a collegiate best on floor (9.925) in the fifth position to help Stanford earn a comeback win in the final rotation against No. 19 Arizona and Sacramento State (Jan. 19)
- Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
Sophia Lee
- Made her collegiate debut and tied for the individual title on vault at the NorCal Quad Meet (Jan. 5)
- Led Stanford with a 9.825 on vault at the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 18)
- Recorded a career-best 9.875 on bars against No. 4 Utah (Feb. 17)
- Made her collegiate debut and hit both of her routines on vault and bars at the NorCal Quad Meet (Jan. 5)
- Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, Stanford's fourth recipient in program history
- First Team All-Pac-12 on vault and bars
- Earned six individual victories and hit 95 percent (37-of-39) of her routines in her regular lineup spots on vault, bars and beam on the year
- Hit each vault, bars and beam routine in the final 10 meets of the year and scoring 9.850 or higher in 24 of 30 routines during that span
- Registered seven of Stanford's top-10 scores on vault, including the top three
- Scored a career-best 9.950 on bars to finish second, and tied for fifth on vault (9.925) and ninth on beam at the Pac-12 Championships (March 22)
- Made her collegiate debut and recorded Stanford's second-highest score on bars (9.850) at the NorCal Quad Meet (Jan. 5)
Shona Morgan
- First Team All-American on bars, finishing 9.900 to tie for third at the NCAA Semifinals (April 18)
- Placed ninth on bars with a 9.8375 at the NCAA Individual Event Finals (April 20)
- Capital One Academic All-America Third Team and All-Region District 8 selection
- Named to Pac-12 All-Academic First Team for third consecutive year
- Registered three of Stanford's top-10 scores on beam
- Tied for ninth on floor with a 9.875 at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional (April 5)
- Earned her first all-around title (39.325), finished first on floor with a collegiate-best 9.900 on floor and Tied her collegiate best on beam (9.850) in Stanford's win over No. 8 Georgia (Jan. 12)
- Registered two top-10 high scores in the all-around, vault and floor among Stanford gymnasts
- Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention
Samantha Shapiro
- First Team All-American on bars
- Finished second in the nation on bars with a 9.925 at the NCAA Individual Event Finals (April 20)
- All-Pac-12 Second Team on bars
- Tied for third on bars with a 9.900 in the NCAA Championships Semifinals (April 18)
- Co-champion on bars at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional with a career-best 9.950 (April 5)
- Tied for third on bars with a 9.925 at the Pac-12 Championships (March 22)
- Registered three of Stanford's top-10 scores on beam
- Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team
- Made her collegiate debut at the NorCal Quad Meet (Jan. 5)
- All-Pac-12 Second Team on beam
- Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team
- Pac-12 Specialist of the Week (Dec. 30-Jan. 5)
- Hit 100 percent of her routines on balance beam for the third consecutive season and posted five individual victories on the year
- Scored 9.850 or higher in all 13 meets
- Three-time Cardinal co-captain helped lead a Stanford team that relied heavily on its underclassmen to 15 victories over ranked opponents, including four in the top 10
- Recorded two of Stanford's top-10 scores on beam, including the highest (9.975)
- First Team All-American in the all-around, bars and floor
- All-Pac-12 First Team selection in the all-around
- Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable mention
- Led Stanford with 16 individual victories, hitting 90 percent (46-for-51) of her routines on the season
- Claimed victories in uneven bars (6), all-around (4), floor exercise (3), balance beam (2) and vault (1)
- Led the conference with three Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week selections
- Placed third on bars (9.900) and a seventh on beam (9.875) at the NCAA Individual Event Finals (April 20)
- Tied for first on bars (9.925) and tied for second on beam (9.900) at the NCAA Semifinals (April 18)
- Tied for the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional title on bars with a 9.950 and finished third in the all-around (April 5)
- Tied for third on bars (9.925) and tied for ninth on beam (9.875) at the Pac-12 Championships (March 22)
- Recorded six of Stanford's top-10 scores on bars, five-of-10 on floor (including the top two), three-of-10 on beam and two-of-10 on vault
- Earned a career-best 9.925 on beam to tie for third at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional (April 5)
- Pac-12 All-Academic Second Team