Gymnast Samantha Peszek to return for final year of eligibility
Redshirt junior Samantha Peszek won the Pac-12 title for balance beam this season. (Katie Meyers/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Kevin Bowman
April 23, 2014 12:32 p.m.
Redshirt junior Samantha Peszek will return to compete for UCLA gymnastics next season, UCLA announced Wednesday.
Peszek had previously been unsure whether she would elect to stay for her final year of NCAA eligibility. Peszek missed the 2013 season after suffering an Achilles injury.
“The opportunity to do gymnastics one more year is a privilege for me, and I want to take advantage of it,” Peszek said in a statement. “I love competing, I love performing, and I love my team. Walking away from nationals this weekend feeling healthier than I’ve ever felt leads me to believe that next season will be the best one yet.”
The Olympic silver medalist earned six All-American honors for the 2014 season and advanced to the NCAA Individual Event Finals on uneven bars, where she finished 12th. Peszek won the Pac-12 title on the balance beam in March. She was consistently one of the Bruins’ top performers throughout the 2014 season.
“Sam has really taken a strong leadership stance going into spring training, and we are obviously thrilled that she has decided to take her fifth year,” said coach Valorie Kondos Field in a statement. “I feel she’s going to be as valuable in a leadership role as she will be on the competition floor.”
Compiled by Kevin Bowman, Bruin Sports senior staff.
