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Olivia Sayer
Georgia senior Haley de Jong competes in the floor event at Stegeman Coliseum in Athens, Georgia, on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. The University of Georgia gymnastics team defeated the University of Kentucky 197.225-196.575. (Photo/Jessica Gratigny; @jgratphoto)
Georgia gymnast Haley de Jong has been named a nominee for the AAI Award. This award, widely regarded as the “Heisman trophy of gymnastics,” is presented to the most outstanding senior gymnast in the country.
The leader of the Georgia gymnastics team, de Jong would be the first Georgia gymnast to win this award since current UGA gymnastics head coach, Courtney Kupets Carter, did so in 2009.
Unlike other prestigious awards in college gymnastics, the nominees for the AAI Award are selected by the coaches. Each year, NCAA women’s gymnastics head coaches are asked to appoint a candidate (or candidates) of their choosing.
“I have been privileged to be a part of this award for over 15 years,” Lisa Ebersole, marketing manager for AAI said. “To watch such a talented pool of athletes go through the process of such a high caliber award and see the coach’s pride for them is truly inspiring.”
This year’s ballot features 39 nominees, which is the most the award has had in recent years. Last year’s ballot featured 34 talented athletes, whereas the year prior had 30. At a later date, the list will be cut down to six finalists and eventually, a winner.
A resident of Vancouver, Canada, de Jong first came onto the scene as a freshman in 2020, where she competed in all 10 meets on both bars and beam. De Jong was Georgia’s highest scorer on bars twice — against LSU and the Metroplex Challenge — and beam once, against Arkansas.
Her sophomore year, she developed both in the gym and in the classroom. That season, she earned five event titles — three on bars, one on beam and one in the all-around — and de Jong was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
In her junior year, she played a pivotal role, as she earned a career-high 9.900 on floor against Missouri, which helped Georgia secure a 49.625 for the rotation. This was the highest event score under Kupets Carter at the time. She also scored a season-high 9.875 on bars twice, and once again was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.
De Jong is once more starting the season strong, as she has been a fundamental part of the 2023 gymnastics team. De Jong has already achieved her career-high scores on vault, bars, beam and floor, and has competed all-around 12 times. This season, she was named one of three team captains, the first time the University of Georgia gymnastics program has appointed them.
Georgia certainly understands de Jong’s importance to the team, and with her nomination of the AAI award, others are starting to recognize her greatness as well.