May 8, 2006
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri gymnastics team closed arguably its most successful campaign in program history with the end of season banquet at Mizzou Arena's Clinton Club on Sunday, May 7.
Over the course of the 2006 season, the squad ranked in top-10 five times, including a program high seventh on Jan. 30. The Tigers concluded the year ranked 14th for the second-consecutive season and posted the program's highest-ever Regional score with a 195.325 at the NCAA Southeast Regional on April 8.
Sharing team MVP honors were seniors Jodie Heinicka and Lauren Schwartzman. Heinicka competed on vault, the uneven bars and beam in her final season and ended the year ranked fourth nationally on the bars. At the NCAA Southeast Regional, she finished tied for second on bars behind eventual NCAA bars champion Courtney Kupets of Georgia.
For the fourth-consecutive year, Schwartzman was in the vault, beam and floor lineups for Mizzou. The senior finished the season tied for second in the country on beam and earned her fourth career All-Big 12 Conference honor. Both Heinicka and Schwartzman were also named the All-Big 12 Academic first team for the third-consecutive season.
Adrianne Perry took home the Newcomer of the Year Award after a successful freshman campaign. As the Tigers' lone all-around competitor, Perry became the sixth Mizzou gymnast and only the second freshman to qualify for the national championships.
The Most Improved Gymnast of the Year went to Katie Kluga. As a sophomore in 2006, Kluga made the beam lineup every meet and competed on bars all but the first two meets of the season.
Senior Sarah Zigler and sophomore Julie Abaray were given the Team Player Award for their commitment to team success over individual glory. Zigler was a fixture in the vault and bars lineups and competed on floor five times as a senior. She ended the season tied for 45th in the nation on bars. After missing the first third of the season due to an ankle sprain, Abaray worked her way into the bar lineup, competed on floor the final four meets of the year and made the beam lineup once during her sophomore season.
The only double winner of the afternoon, junior Amanda Pezzullo earned the Most Consistent Beam and the Field awards. Pezzullo competed on beam every meet in 2006 with a Regional Qualifying Score of 9.820 and did not fall off the apparatus all season. The Field Award, which is given by the strength and conditioning staff, is awarded to a student-athlete who shows continued commitment to the strength and conditioning program throughout the year.
Junior Alicia Gilmore received the Heart of the Tiger Award, which recognizes a gymnast who reflects the ideals of the program, with her all-around efforts as part of the team.
2006 Missouri Gymnastics Award Winners
Co-MVPs: Jodie Heinicka and Lauren Schwartzman
Newcomer of the Year: Adrianne Perry
Most Improved Gymnast: Katie Kluga
Team Player Award: Julie Abaray and Sarah Zigler
Most Consistent Beam Award: Amanda Pezzullo
Heart of the Tiger Award: Alicia Gilmore
The Field Award: Amanda Pezzullo