Three Bruin gymnasts earn All-America honors
Senior Sadiqua Bynum, one of three Bruins to receive All-America honors Friday, was named to the first-team on floor exercise. She finished the season ranked seventh in the nation on floor, based on her Regional Qualifying Score. (Daily Bruin file photo)
By Matt Cummings
March 25, 2016 3:46 p.m.
The accolades keep rolling in for No. 8 UCLA gymnastics.
Three Bruin gymnasts received All-America honors Friday, per a press release from the National Association of College Gymnastics Coaches, marking the 25th straight year UCLA gymnastics has produced multiple All-Americans.
Senior Danusia Francis and redshirt senior Sadiqua Bynum were first-team selections on balance beam and floor exercise, respectively, and junior Angi Cipra made the second-team on floor exercise.
The first-team in each event, as well as in all-around competition, consists of the gymnasts with the eight highest regional qualifying scores, or RQS, in the nation. The second-team is composed of the next eight highest-ranking gymnasts.
Francis, who scored a perfect 10 in a March 6 meet, collected the fourth first-team All-America honor of her career and her fifth All-America selection overall with an RQS of 9.945, tied for second best in the nation.
Bynum, who ended the season tied for seventh in the nation on floor with an RQS of 9.935, was a second-team selection last year but had never before received first-team honors.
Cipra’s second-team selection, based on a 9.930 RQS that ranked 11th-best in the country, is the first All-America recognition of her career.
RQS is computed using a gymnast’s six best regular-season scores – three of which must be from away meets – with the top score thrown out and the remaining five scores averaged.
No UCLA gymnast competed in all-around at enough meets to qualify for All-America consideration. Sophomore Sonya Meraz competed in all-around three times, the most of any Bruin this season.
Senior Sophina DeJesus, whose exciting floor routine became a viral video earlier this year, only competed on floor five times, making her ineligible for All-America selection in the event.
