Denver’s Cecilia Cooley (gymnast) and Mia Hebinck (event specialist) along with West Virginia’s Sophia Rice (newcomer) were tabbed the Big 12 Conference’s best gymnasts of the week during the opening weekend of the 2025 season.

After missing the 2024 season due to injury, Cooley helped the No. 12 Pioneers to a win over No. 13 Michigan, 195.700-194.975. The junior competed in bars (9.850), beam (9.800) and floor (9.875) during the meet after she had only performed her bars routine twice two years ago. The New York City native claimed her first career win on floor and was a half-tenth away from breaking her career-high in beam. It is the first Big 12 weekly accolade for Cooley.

Hebinck tallied a 9.900 on bars, tying atop the podium with two teammates as she captured her fourth career event title. Denver outscored the Wolverines 49.450-48.575 on the uneven bars. After garnering two honors last season, Hebinck claimed her third career Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week award.

Rice marked her collegiate debut with an event title on vault (9.850) as the Mountaineers beat Temple 193.600-191.300 in its season opener. Hailing from Morgantown, West Virginia, the freshman was the team’s leading scorer in the event and her score was the second-highest recorded in any event during the dual. Rice is the first gymnast from WVU to claim Newcomer of the Week since the 2021 season.