PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Yale gymnastics team placed second overall at the Gymnastics East Conference (GEC) Championships on Saturday evening at the University of Pennsylvania. The Bulldogs registered a team score of 194.125 in the night session to record their third straight runner-up finish. First year
Hailey Kriz was named GEC Newcomer of the Year for her strong performance this season.
Yale competed in the second session of the day with Penn, Brown, and Bridgeport. The Quakers won their fourth consecutive conference title with a score of 195.700. Bridgeport placed third (193.150) followed by Brown (192.875).
Newcomer of the Year
Kriz was named Newcomer of the Year after a phenomenal first season as a Bulldog. Competing in key positions later in the lineup, she has been especially strong on beam, where she twice scored a 9.875—tying for the third-highest score in program history and ranking tied for eighth in the GEC. She has also delivered standout performances on vault and bars, earning season highs of 9.775 and 9.825, respectively. Her 9.825 on bars ties for the sixth-highest score in Yale history and ranks eighth in the GEC. With an NQS of 9.7 on vault, 9.735 on bars, and 9.77 on beam, Kriz has consistently contributed to the Bulldogs' success. Kriz has been recognized with two GEC Newcomer of the Week honors this season. Kriz is the second Yale athlete to be named Newcomer of the Year after teammate
Ella Tashjian received the honor in 2024.
Top Performers
- Lauren Luu has been outstanding all season long as a specialist on bars. The sophomore recorded a 9.800 on the apparatus, the fourth-best score at the meet.
- Kriz recorded a 9.775 on vault, the Bulldogs' top score. It matched a career-best for the standout first year.
Event Notes
- Yale registered its second-best team vault score of the season with a 48.575.
- On floor, three Bulldogs registered 9.800 scores. Ellie Kearns, Chloe DeJoy, and Ella Tashjian recorded identical scores, tied for the second-best at the meet.
- Hana Strause was Yale's top performer on beam with a score of 9.775. The Bulldogs recorded a team score of 48.300.
- The Bulldogs will graduate three seniors: Oren Aviad, Claire Qu, and Nadia Drutau.
Looking Forward
Yale will return more than a dozen athletes with experience next season.
