Tracking 2023 COVID Years

In late 2020, the NCAA announced all winter sport athletes would be granted an extra year of eligibility no matter how much of the 2020-21 season they were able to complete. Now that another season is coming to a close and seniors are announcing their intention to return or retire, we decided to put all the announcements in one place. 

Returning for a fifth year in 2022 did not count against the institutions’ scholarship count. However, 2023 brings different rules and higher stakes. Any athlete on scholarship who decides to take a Covid year will potentially count against their school’s scholarship count. Will this affect the amount of gymnasts willing to take another year of eligibility? We’ll keep everyone updated as it unfolds. 

The following information has been curated from gymnasts, teams and other journalists and will continue to be updated as more announcements are made.

Alabama

• Griffin James: definitely not
• Sania Mitchell: definitely
• Kaylee Quinn: definitely not
• Shallon Olson: definitely

Alaska 

• Rachel Decious: definitely* (listed on 2022 roster as junior)

Arizona

• Mackinzie Kane: definitely not

Arizona State

• Jasmine Gutierrez: definitely not
• Megan Thompson: definitely not

Arkansas 

• Amanda Elswick: definitely not (starting PA school)
• Kennedy Hambrick: definitely
• Abigail Johnston: definitely not
• Bailey Lovett: definitely (also starting law school)
• Savannah Pennese: definitely not

Auburn

• Derrian Gobourne: definitely

Ball State

• Sandra Elsadek: definitely (transferring to Georgia)
• Marissa Nychyk: definitely not
• Sari Thaler: definitely not
• Lauren Volpe: definitely

Boise State

• Hope Masiado: definitely not
• Tessa Otuafi: definitely not
• Samantha Smith: definitely not
• Alexis Stokes: definitely not (via Instagram story)
• Kayli Tran: definitely (via personal Instagram)

Bowling Green

• Paige Bachner: definitely not
• Kayla Chan: definitely not
• Katelyn Goldstrom: definitely
• Tess Muir: definitely not

Bridgeport

• Crystal Gwinn: definitely not
• Nicole Javinett: definitely
• Alexis Richardson: definitely (sixth year)
• Jordan Streete: definitely

Brockport

• Alexis Castellaneta: definitely not

BYU

• Abby Beeston: definitely not
• Sadie Miner-Van Tassel: probably not (moved cross-country)

California

• Milan Clausi: probably not
• Kyana George: definitely not (no sixth year)
• Abi Solari: definitely not

Centenary

• Xian Baumgartner: definitely not (via personal Instagram)M
• Kendall Knaps: definitely not
• Kendall Sanders: definitely not

Central Michigan

• Morgan Tong: definitely not
• Sierra DeMarinis: probably not

Denver

• Lynzee Brown: definitely (sixth year)
• Alexandra Ruiz: definitely 

Eastern Michigan

• Shannon Gregory: definitely not
• Carly Kosanovich: probably not
• Charlotte Reynolds: probably not
• Kara Roberts: probably not
• Caitlin Satler: definitely not

Florida

• Leah Clapper: definitely
• Sydney Johnson-Scharpf: definitely not
• Nya Reed: definitely
• Savannah Schoenherr: definitely
• Halley Taylor: definitely (returning from Achilles tear)
• Trinity Thomas: definitely

George Washington

• Simone Banen: definitely not
• Deja Chambliss: definitely (announced on senior night)

Georgia

• Rachel Baumann: definitely (transferring to Florida)
• Rachel Lukacs: definitely not
• Alyssa Perez-Lugones: definitely not
• Megan Roberts: probably not
• Abbey Ward: definitely not

Hamline 

• Emily Anderson: definitely 
• Nikki Johnsen: definitely not
• Katie Kalland: definitely not
• Madison Latzke: definitely not
• Carolina Schlawiedt: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Savannah Tafolla: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Katie Viles: definitely not (via personal Instagram)

Illinois

• Rachel Borden: definitely
• Mallory Mizuki: definitely

Illinois State

• Sofia Iribarren: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Mia Quigg: definitely not

Iowa

• Alex Greenwold: definitely not (starting graduate school)
• Lauren Guerin: definitely not (starting chiropractic school)
• Mackenzie Vance: definitely not (via personal Instagram)

Iowa State

• Kelsey Boychuk: definitely
• Addy De Jesus: probably not
• Natalie Horowitz: definitely
• Maddy Langkamp: definitely 
• Ana Palacios Martin: definitely not
• Meixi Semple: probably not
• Phoebe Turner: probably not

Ithaca

• Julia O’Sullivan: definitely (via 2023 roster)

Kent State

• Samantha Henry: definitely not
• Madison Iannuzzo: definitely not
• Cami Klein: definitely
• Kendra Lindway: definitely not
• Madison Trott: definitely not

Kentucky

• Josie Angeny: definitely (transferring to Georgia)
• Arianna Patterson: definitely 

Lindenwood

• Hadley Roberts: definitely (transferring to Washington)
• Paige Sorenson: definitely not

LSU

• Rebecca D’Antonio: definitely not

Maryland

• Sanya Glauber: definitely not
• Alexsis Rubio: definitely

Michigan

• Abby Brenner: definitely (transferring to Utah)
• Abby Heiskell: definitely
• Natalie Wojcik: definitely (starting grad school for social work)

Michigan State

• Sydney Ewing: definitely not
• Ashley Hofelich: definitely not
• Alaina Raybon: probably not

Minnesota

• Abbie Nylin: definitely 
• Maddie Quarles: definitely
• Tiarre Sales: definitely
• Ali Sonier: definitely

Missouri

• Hannah McCrary: definitely
• Alisa Sheremeta: definitely

Nebraska

• Makayla Curtis: definitely not (named assistant at Greenville University)
• Kaitlyn Higgins: definitely not
• Kynsee Roby: definitely not (no sixth year)

North Carolina

• Emery Summey: definitely not

N.C. State

• Meredith Robinson: definitely

Northern Illinois 

• Morgan Hooper: definitely not
• Kelsey Martz: definitely not
• Liana Roman: definitely not
• Gabby Welch: definitely not

Ohio State

• Claire Gagliardi: definitely
• Sydney Jennings: definitely
• Colby Miller: definitely

Oklahoma 

• Emma Lapinta: definitely not
• Allie Stern: definitely 
• Olivia Trautman: definitely

Oregon State

• Madi Dagen: definitely 
• Kristina Peterson: definitely

Penn State

• Melissa Astarita: definitely not
• Dymiana Cox: definitely not
• Donna Howell: definitely not

Pittsburgh

• Katie Chamberlain: definitely not
• Caitlyn Kline: definitely not
• Olivia Miller: definitely not
• Kiley Robatin: definitely not

Rutgers

• Mia Betancourt: definitely not (via personal Instagram)

Sacramento State

• Karissa Hoffman: definitely
• Amber Koeth: definitely

SEMO

• Ashley Albrecht: definitely not (no sixth year)
• Anna Kaziska: definitely not (per USAG national broadcast)

Southern Connecticut State

• Cassidy Girolamo: probably not
• Noely Macias: definitely not
• Hannah Stahlbrodt: definitely 

Southern Utah

• Mayson Bentley: definitely
• Caitlin Kho: definitely
• Karley McClain: definitely
• Shylen Murakami: definitely
• Rachel Smith: definitely
• Stephanie Tervort: definitely not

Springfield

• MacKenzie MacLeod: definitely
• Winter Osborne: definitely

Stanford 

• Madi Brunette: definitely
• Wesley Stephenson: definitely not

Temple

• Ariana Castrence: definitely (transferring to SJSU)
• Julianna Rowland: definitely

Texas Woman’s

• Mackenzie Balderas: definitely not
• Domi Bonzagni: probably not
• Isabel Goyco: definitely not (per USAG nationals broadcast and personal Instagram)

Towson

• Emerson Hurst: definitely not

UC Davis

• Lauren Chu: definitely not
• Cortney Cunningham: definitely not
• Kyla Kessler: definitely not (starting PT school)
• Gabby Landess: definitely not

UCLA

• Norah Flatley: definitely (transferring to Arkansas)
• Margzetta Frazier: definitely
• Sekai Wright: definitely not

Ursinus 

• Taylor Cusick: definitely

Utah

• Cammy Hall: definitely (transferring to LSU)
• Cristal Isa: definitely
• Adrienne Randall: definitely not

Utah State

• Carley Bayles: definitely
• Grace Rojas: definitely

UW-Eau Claire

• Karley Albers: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Bailey Davidson: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Danielle Malecha: definitely not
• Tayla Thome: definitely not 

UW-La Crosse

• Emma Grant: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Megan Hawkins: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Olivia Opheim: definitely not

UW-Oshkosh

• Emily Gilot: definitely not
• Rahdea Jarvis: definitely
• Olivia Keller: definitely not (via personal Instagram account)
• Haley Minor: definitely not
• Rachel Morris: definitely not
• Alyssa Nore: definitely not

Washington

• Brenna Brooks: definitely
• Amara Cunningham: definitely

West Chester

• Annie Bailey: probably not
• Sara Bell: definitely not
• Rose Fanara: probably (added to 2023 roster as GR)
• Brashlyn Johnson: definitely not
• McKenna Kissinger: definitely

Western Michigan

• Carissa Ludwig: definitely not

West Virginia

• Esperanza Abarca: probably not (via personal Instagram)
• Kendra Combs: definitely 
• Rachel Hornung: definitely not

William & Mary

• Chloe Campbell: definitely not
• Caileigh Gulotta: definitely not

Winona State

• Hailey Bryant: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Katie Curtis: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Hannah Matuszak: definitely not (via personal Instagram)
• Kaitlyn West: definitely not

*Were not honored during senior night activities

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