Gymnastics

Three Big 12 Programs Earn Weekly Gymnastics Awards

Utah’s Avery Neff (gymnast), West Virginia’s Karleigh DiCello (event specialist) and Denver’s Megan Aamold (newcomer) collected Week 5’s Big 12 gymnastics awards.

Neff matched her season-best 39.500 across all four apparatuses as the Utes picked up their second Big 12 win this season, outlasting Arizona State, 196.450-194.925. The sophomore earned three podium finishes, claiming first on the balance beam (9.95) and the all-around competition, while placing second in vault (9.850) and floor (9.90). Neff, who ranks 13th in the nation on vault, earned her second gymnast weekly accolade this season.

DiCello claimed her second consecutive vault title, registering a 9.875 at WVU’s quad meet against Cornell, Pitt and Kent State. Her vault score matched her season high as she set a season high on the balance beam with a score of 9.825. The Mountaineers posted a season-best 49.025 on the apparatus, as three gymnasts tallied a 9.800 or better in the event. WVU claimed its first outright quad meet since 2023 by scoring a 195.875. This is DiCello’s first Big 12 weekly award.

Aamold won the first event title of her collegiate career, competing in Denver’s beam rotation for the third time this season since her debut on January 16. Her 9.875 set a season-high for the freshman, while it marked the second-best score by a Pioneer on the event this season. Denver picked up its second Big 12 victory with a win over Iowa State. Aamold is the second DU gymnast to claim the league’s newcomer weekly honor this season.

All three programs will face league opponents as WVU travels to ISU at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT before Arizona hosts Utah at 7 p.m. MT on Friday. Denver competes at Arizona State on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT.

Other meets this week are BYU at Southern Utah on Friday at 6:30 MT and Arizona traveling to Fort Worth for Sunday’s Metroplex Challenge against Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas Woman’s University at 1:15 p.m. MT.

2026 Big 12 Gymnastics Weekly Awards
Gymnast
Jan. 14: Avery Neff, Utah
Jan. 20: Kylie Eaquinto, BYU
Jan. 27: Kimberly Smith, Arizona State
Feb. 3: Avery Neff, Utah

Event Specialist
Jan. 14: Reese Grolla, Arizona State
Jan. 20: Brynlee Andersen-Broekman, BYU
Jan. 27: Aubrey Krohnfeldt, Arizona
Feb. 3: Karleigh DiCello, West Virginia

Newcomer
Jan. 14: Shyla Bhatia, Denver
Jan. 20: Abbi Ryssman, Utah
Jan. 27: Abbi Ryssman, Utah
Feb. 3: Megan Aamold, Denver