Aug. 14, 2009

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The accolades continue to roll in for the Mizzou gymnastics program as the team recently earned National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W) Scholastic All-America distinction as announced by the NACGC/W office on Friday (Aug. 14). The Tigers compiled an overall cumulative grade-point-average of 3.4457, ranking the team 13th in the nation. Missouri joins Alabama and Stanford as the only three teams in the nation to feature at least two All-Americans and rank in the top-15 academically.

Mizzou was also the only Big 12 school represented in the national top-15 as Iowa State was the closest finisher to the Tigers as they fell at No. 21 with a 3.3806 GPA. Southeast Missouri State was honored as the National Academic Champions as the team compiled a 3.9124 GPA, bolstered by 14 individual student-athletes with perfect 4.00 GPAs for the year.

In addition, eight gymnasts were honored as NACGC/W Scholar Athletes, highlighted by sophomore Lauren Stephenson (Kansas City, Mo.), who finished with a team-high 3.97 GPA in biological sciences. Also earning the distinction were Allie Heizelman (Cypress, Texas/3.85 GPA), Liz Straatmann (Villa Ridge, Mo./3.68 GPA), Brooke Boehmer (Overland Park, Kan./3.67 GPA), Lisa LaPerriere (Macomb, Mich./3.67 GPA), Brittany Haines (Greenfield, Ind./3.63 GPA), Becky Scholle (Chesterfield, Mo./3.61 GPA) and Alicia Hatcher (Blue Springs, Mo./3.54 GPA).

The NACGC/W is the national association for women's collegiate gymnastics coaches. The association seeks to actively manage and develop the sport of women's gymnastics at the collegiate level and works with the NCAA and USA Gymnastics in order to provide the best possible experience for student-athletes. For all the latest on Mizzou Gymnastics, stay tuned to www.MUTigers.com.