Southeast Missouri Gymnasts Shine with Six WCGNIC All-American Honors

Southeast Missouri women’s gymnastics wrapped up the 2025 season with a performance that put the Gymhawks among the nation’s elite programs. At the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship, Southeast Missouri showed off depth, consistency, and star power. The team earned six All-American honorees and posted its highest score of the year.

This kind of achievement isn’t just about individual excellence. It’s also about the steady rise of a program built on recruiting, athlete development, and a kind of competitive resilience that’s tough to teach.

A Landmark Championship Performance for Southeast Missouri

The 2025 Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship gave Southeast Missouri the perfect stage to show how far the program’s come. The Gymhawks went up against top-tier teams from across the country and put up a season-best score of 195.0250 in the finals. They finished second overall, which is no small feat.

Six Gymhawks earned All-American honors, according to the official announcement from the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association. That’s a remarkable haul, reflecting excellence across all four events. You can find the full breakdown in Southeast Missouri’s WCGNIC All-American announcement.

Taylor Ingle Headlines a Historic All-American Class

Junior standout Taylor Ingle led the way for Southeast Missouri. She delivered one of the most dominant individual performances of the entire meet, capturing the all-around national championship with a 39.250.

That set the tone for what became a historic day for the Gymhawks. Ingle’s consistency and competitive poise earned her First Team All-American honors on every apparatus, plus the all-around.

• All-Around National Champion with a 39.250
• Vault Champion with a 9.850
• First Team All-American on vault, bars, beam, floor, and all-around

Ingle’s ability to excel across all four events made her the most decorated Gymhawk of the meet. It’s rare to see an all-around gymnast deliver like that under championship pressure—she’s clearly among the best in collegiate gymnastics right now.

Freshmen Make an Immediate National Impact

While veteran leadership matters, Southeast Missouri’s future looks just as bright. Two freshmen earned All-American recognition in their first season: Joselene Hernandez and Gracie Jones. Both delivered routines that stood up against the nation’s best, which isn’t something you see every year.

Joselene Hernandez Shines on Vault and Bars

Freshman Joselene Hernandez brought serious power, especially on vault. She picked up First Team All-American honors on vault, and her work on bars earned her a Second Team spot.

• First Team All-American on vault
• Second Team All-American on bars

Hernandez’s versatility as an all-around gymnast gives Southeast Missouri another cornerstone for the future. She’s only going to get better as she keeps refining her technique and confidence.

Gracie Jones Establishes Herself as a Bars Specialist

Gracie Jones wasted no time making her mark. The freshman earned First Team All-American honors on bars, showing off precision, fluidity, and consistency throughout the meet.

Her recognition as a bars specialist adds depth to the Gymhawks lineup. Bars can be a difference-maker at this level, so having a freshman step up there is a big deal.

Veteran Specialists Deliver Under Pressure

Championships aren’t won by stars alone. Southeast Missouri got big performances from experienced gymnasts who delivered when it counted, proving the value of lineup balance and event specialization.

Ava Johnston Continues Her Bars Excellence

Bars specialist Ava Johnston added another All-American honor, earning First Team recognition on the uneven bars. In her second season with the Gymhawks, Johnston’s become one of the team’s most reliable performers.

She earned Second Team All-American honors on bars in 2024. Moving up to First Team in 2025 shows her technical improvement and growing competitive maturity.

Beam Standouts: Jaidan Kossuth and Jordan Napolitano

The balance beam is brutal in championship settings, and Southeast Missouri handled it thanks to sophomores Jaidan Kossuth and Jordan Napolitano.

• Jaidan Kossuth: First Team All-American on beam
• Jordan Napolitano: Second Team All-American on beam

Kossuth’s First Team honor shows she can deliver clean, confident routines under pressure. Napolitano’s Second Team recognition highlights just how deep the Gymhawks are on beam.

Team Score Reflects Program-Wide Growth

The Gymhawks’ 195.0250 in the WCGNIC Finals was their highest team total of the season. That’s a big benchmark and shows they’re consistent across all four events.

Finishing second overall in a national championship environment means Southeast Missouri isn’t just showing up—they’re contending. Scoring above 195 puts a team in elite company, especially when the judging’s tight and the pressure’s on.