NCATA Athlete of the Week: Ali Price, Gannon

Price, a sophomore top and tumbler from New Paris, Pa., competed in 11 heats and team event for Gannon during its two meets on the west coast last week. She began the week by leading Gannon to a win over No. 5 Hawaii Pacific during a tri-meet at Azusa Pacific. During the meet, Price helped the Knights to season high scores in the compulsory toss (9.95) and open toss (9.85/9.90) heats. Four days later, Gannon earned its first-ever win over Oregon as the Knights posted their highest meet score since 2020. Against the No. 3-ranked Ducks, Price helped her team to five season highs, including compulsory tumbling, acro seven-element, inversion pyramid, duo tumbling and six-element tumbling. She competed in the six-element tumbling pass twice last week, recording a 9.725 on Tuesday at APU and a 9.775 at Oregon.
 
NCATA Specialist of the Week: Abbie Hoffman, Gannon

Hoffman, a senior base from Grand Blanc, Mich., starred in the pyramid event for the Knights during a pair of wins over top five opponents last week. On Saturday evening during Gannon’s win over No. 3 Baylor, Hoffman was a primary base in all three heats as the Knights set a season high score of 29.55 in the pyramid event. During Saturday’s meet, Gannon scored a 9.95 in the inversion pyramid, a 9.75 in the synchronized pyramid and a 9.85 in the open pyramid. The scores in the inversion and open pyramids set new season highs. Earlier in the week during a tri-meet at Azusa Pacific, Price and Gannon recorded scores of 9.60 or higher in each of the pyramid heats during the meet.
 
NCATA Freshman of the Week: Ayanna Manning, Converse

Manning, a freshman base and tumbler from Abingdon, Md., competed in nine heats and team event as Converse defeated Presbyterian in a dual meet last week. She helped Converse to three scores of 9.50 or higher, including a 9.85 in the inversion pyramid, a 9.70 in the compulsory pyramid and a 9.55 in the compulsory toss. She also recorded an 8.55 out of 9.10 in the open tumbling pass during the Converse victory. Manning competes as a tumbler, back base, mid-level base and bottom base throughout the meet.
 
Athlete of the Week – Honorable Mention
Alena Aucker (Oregon), a junior base and tumbler from Knoxville, Tenn., competed in seven heats and team event for the Ducks last week. Aucker helped Oregon to three scores of 9.70 or higher, including a 9.85 in both the compulsory toss and synchronized pyramid and a 9.70 in the compulsory pyramid. She also competed in quad tumbling, helping the Ducks to a score of 9.10 out of 9.40.
 
Jacie Van de Zilver (Azusa Pacific), a sophomore top and tumbler from Jackson, N.J., competed in 10 heats and team event for the Cougars during a tri-meet last week. She helped the Cougars record seven scores of 9.50 or higher, including a 9.95 in the open pyramid and 450 salto toss and a 9.90 in the acro six-element. She also competed in the aerial tumbling pass and posted a score of 9.875.
 
Specialist of the Week – Honorable Mention
Hannah Alonzo (Azusa Pacific), a sophomore base from San Antonio, Texas, competed in two high-scoring tumbling heats for the Cougars last week. She competed as a base in both heats and helped APU to a score of 9.80 in the inversion pyramid and a 9.95 in the open pyramid.
 
Alyssa Hew (Oregon), a senior from Markham, Ontario, Canada, was a standout in the tumbling event for Oregon last week. She helped the Ducks to a score of 9.10 (out of 9.40) in the quad pass, and a 9.85 (out of 10.0) in the individual open tumbling pass.
 
Freshman of the Week – Honorable Mention
Abbey Horvath (West Liberty), a freshman base from Wellsburg, W.Va., competed in nine heats and team event for the Hilltoppers this week. She helped West Liberty to six scores of 9.0 or higher, including a 9.60 in the compulsory pyramid and a 9.50 in the synchronized pyramid. In addition to competing as a base, she also participates in the compulsory and quad tumbling passes for WLU.
 
Blessyn McMorris (Oregon), a freshman base from Lynwood, Ill. competed in six heats and team event for the Ducks this week. She helped Oregon to four scores of 9.50 or higher, including a 9.85 in the compulsory toss and a 9.75 in the inversion pyramid.