Forever 50: A Season Recap

The 2024 Washington gymnastics season was one for the books, as the Forever 50 saw accomplishments and successes – both as a team and individually – from start to finish.

The season began at the Super 16 in Las Vegas for the second consecutive year, where the squad etched a 195 even to start the season.

It was only up from there, as Washington went on to hit 196.5+ seven times, includes two scores eclipsing the 197 mark.

Under third year head coach Jen Llewellyn, the GymDawgs recorded two team scores above a 197, the second time the squad has notched two 197+ scores in Llewellyn's tenure at Washington.

The first came in a quad meet win at Boise State on March 1 over the host Broncos, Minnesota and UC Davis as the team earned a season-high 197.200. The Huskies notched a 49.475 on floor at the quad, a number the program has achieved just twice since the 2020 season. The season-high floor score, along with a season-high 49.225 on vault and a season-high-matching 49.250 on bars led the GymDawgs to their first win of the season.

The GymDawgs came out of the quad win in Boise with a 196.550 at Arizona on March 3, where they notched a season-high 49.275 and finally eclipsing the 49.250 on the event that Washington earned four times prior this season.

Washington hit a 196.950 at Oregon State in the final Pac-12 dual meet of the season (and, ever), where they notched their second-best beam score of the year with a 49.425 and tied their fourth best 49.325 on floor.

For Senior Night on March 15, the Huskies honored fourth-year Huskies Skylar Killough-Wilhelm, Taylor Russon and Gabi Wickman. The GymDawgs earned their second highest team score of the season in the home finale in Alaska Airlines Arena, tabbing a 197.175.

The quad win, the team's second of 2024, came at the hands of BYU, Southern Utah and Sacramento State. The GymDawgs led at every point during the meet, keeping a lead after every rotation, finishing first as BYU placed second (196.750), Southern Utah finished third (196.525) and Sacramento State rounded out the evening with a 195.350.

UW competed in the final Pac-12 Championships at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah, on March 18 to round out conference competition.

The Huskies finished eighth with a 196.325 before qualifying for NCAA Regionals in Berkeley, Calif. The GymDawgs qualified for Regional competition with a No. 28 ranking to automatically advance to the second round, where they hit a 196.650 and finished fourth in their quad alongside Denver, UCLA and Arizona State. This was the third straight NCAA Regionals appearance for the GymDawgs, who will host the 2025 Regionals in Seattle.

The GymDawgs are REGIONALS BOUND!

Washington will compete in the California Regional in Berkeley, along with Denver, UCLA and Arizona State ??#GoHuskies x #WinWithin pic.twitter.com/b8ODDRILf7
— Washington Gymnastics (@UWGymnastics) March 25, 2024

The Huskies averaged nearly 4,000 fans in Alaska Airlines Arena this season for their four home competitions, including a 5,002 high on March 3 against Arizona. Washington averaged the fourth highest attendance in the Pac-12 this season behind Utah, UCLA and Oregon State.

VAULT

The Huskies wrapped 2024 tied for 36^th nationally on vault, ranking as high as 20^th. GymDawgs who made the vault lineup included: Emily Innes, Emma Schrady, Lana Navarro, Lilly Tubbs, Kristin Lin, Skylar Killough-Wilhelm, Mary McDonough, McKenna Carnesi and Emily Pires.

THE FRESHMAN. THIS VAULT.??

Mary McDonough earns a career-high 9.875 in the anchor spot ?? pic.twitter.com/ONrqyacPN6
— Washington Gymnastics (@UWGymnastics) March 23, 2024

BARS

Washington ended the final week of the season at No. 28 in the bars rankings nationally, where they were as high as No. 18 (week of March 4). GymDawgs who made the bars lineup included: Deiah Moody, Olivia Oppegard, Taylor Russon, Kristin Lin, Skylar Killough-Wilhelm and Lilly Tubbs.

Just gonna leave this little hint of perfection right here??@SkylarKillough just earned a career-high 9.975 ?? pic.twitter.com/ejKfbpNV26
— Washington Gymnastics (@UWGymnastics) March 3, 2024

BEAM

Beam proved to be the best event for the Huskies this season, as they dipped below the top-20 in beam rankings only once and were tabbed as high as No. 13. GymDawgs who made the beam lineup included: Chelsea Hallinan, Emily Innes, Taylor Russon, Deiah Moody, Skylar Killough-Wilhelm and Lana Navarro.

?????? ???? ????????????, ?????? ???? ?????????? ??@TaylorRusson earned the second 9.925 of her career yesterday??#GoHuskies x #WinWithin pic.twitter.com/Y1rfbJxlp7
— Washington Gymnastics (@UWGymnastics) March 4, 2024

FLOOR

The Huskies finished 39^th in the country on the floor and were notched as high as 23 early on in the year. GymDawgs who made the floor lineup included: Emily Innes, Kristin Lin, Emily Pires, Lana Navarro, Caitlin McWilliams, Skylar Killough-Wilhelm, Taylor Russon and Thu Nguyen.

Umm...YEAH that just happened ??

Our fifth highest floor score in program history.

Pires — 9.750
McWilliams — 9.850
Russon — 9.875
Killough-Wilhelm — 9.950
Innes — 9.950
Navarro — 9.900#GoHuskies x #NCAAGym pic.twitter.com/eQ9x6baepD
— Washington Gymnastics (@UWGymnastics) April 5, 2024

INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Killough-Wilhelm competed all-around at NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas where she earned First Team All-American (Bars) and Second Team All-American (All-Around) honors
Killough-Wilhelm earned First Team All-Pac-12 All-Around
Killough-Wilhelm and Innes earned Regional Floor Co-Champions (9.950s)
Killough-Wilhelm earned Pac-12 Coaches Choice twice (Feb. 13 and March 19)
Navarro earned Pac-12 Coaches Choice (March 12)
Killough-Wilhelm and Navarro selected to Pac-12 Gymnastics Preseason Watch List
Killough-Wilhelm nominated for 2024 AAI Award

NEWCOMER IMPACTS

The Huskies welcomed six newcomers in 2024 in junior transfer Emily Pires (UC Davis) and freshmen Kira Bolden, McKenna Carnesi, Chelsea Hallinan, Kristin Lin and Mary McDonough. Bolden missed the season with an injury, but all remaining newcomers made an appearance in the lineups.

Emily Pires appeared in every floor party for the GymDawgs and led off the lineup on all but two occasions. The junior notched a season-high 9.850 on floor and hit the vault lineup once where she earned a 9.725.

Chelsea Hallinan led off every beam lineup, earned a career-high 9.9 at Oregon State and a 9.850+ on five occasions (including a 9.875 on the first routine of her career at the Super 16).

McKenna Carnesi competed in two vault lineups this season, notching a 9.850 in the home finale on March 15.

Kristin Lin competed consistently in the vault and bars lineups for the GymDawgs during her collegiate debut, notching 9.825 highs on both events. She also competed in five floor lineups and performed a handful of exhibition routines, earning a 9.825 at the home opener against Cal.

Mary McDonough joined the vault lineup part way through the year, hitting a 9.850+ in her final three routines, including tying a career-best 9.875 twice.

Schedule

Players Mentioned

Kira Bolden

McKenna Carnesi

Chelsea Hallinan

Emily Innes

Skylar Killough-Wilhelm

Kristin Lin

Mary McDonough

Caitlin McWilliams

Deiah Moody

Lana Navarro

Thu Nguyen

Olivia Oppegard

Emily Pires

Taylor Russon

Emma Schrady

Lilly Tubbs

Gabi Wickman

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