When you ask Central Michigan’s Luciana Alvarado-Reid—a 2020 Tokyo Olympian, three-time conference team champion, and back-to-back MAC Gymnast of the Year—to reminisce on the highlights of her career, she doesn’t mention a single score or title.
“I really loved my elite experience because I got to meet so many friends around the world,” Alvarado-Reid explained. “Here in the U.S. and coming to college, I was lucky I got to have a team that bonded over gymnastics and bonded over other things; school and things we like. That was really beautiful because I never really had a team that was close to my age.”
Despite a long list of accomplishments on her resume, gymnastics has always been about relationships for Alvarado-Reid. With her two older sisters being gymnasts too and her mom as her coach after retiring from gymnastics herself, it was no surprise that Alvarado-Reid ended up continuing the family trade. But it was the pressure-free approach from her family that allowed her to thrive.
“I had to be at the gym because that’s my mom’s job. But my family did a very good job at just letting me find my love for gymnastics myself. I got to see my two sisters; they were really good and very competitive. I got to see how much they loved competing and traveling around the world, and that was really a blessing,” said Alvarado-Reid. “I was put in the world of gymnastics, but I got to experience it for myself and choose that path.”
While Central Michigan was unable to advance out of the first round of the Lexington regional, falling to Rutgers 196.200 to 195.700, Alvarado-Reid’s collegiate career continues, with one more day as an individual qualifier in the all-around in her third regional appearance. She’s been a catalyst for the Chippewas’ rise throughout her career, finishing ranked No. 33 this year for their best finish since 2021, and poses a real threat for nationals as an all-arounder, with the top teams fielding few four-eventers.
Should Alvarado-Reid’s collegiate career come to an end at Lexington, it’ll be a full-circle moment, as it’s where it truly began, first meeting Central Michigan head coach Christine MacDonald at a meet at Kentucky during her recruiting journey. Since that initial connection, MacDonald describes coaching Alvarado-Reid as a “dream,” bringing positive and competitive energy to the gym every day.
“She’s a joy to coach, and she makes every day fun for us at practice. There’s never a dull day,” exclaimed MacDonald. “Luci[ana] comes in every day with a smile on her face and an ‘I can’ attitude and will do whatever you ask of her, whether she needs it or not.”
And while Alvarado-Reid’s college career will, unfortunately, soon come to completion, she subconsciously used the word “probably” when describing round two or nationals as her final meet, thus prompting further investigation.
“I have been asked that question for almost four years,” said Alvarado-Reid regarding an elite comeback or a run at another Olympics. “I don’t know yet. I did say ‘probably,’ so that has to mean something. I will take a little break, but we’ll see.”
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Article by Brandis Heffner
