Gymnastics | 1/31/2024 10:19:00 AM

DENTON, Texas (Jan. 31, 2024) – For the third week in a row, the Texas Woman's gymnastics team has earned Midwest Independent Conference weekly honors.

After a season high team score of 194.700 and a win against Lindenwood on Saturday, Jan. 27, two Pioneers were honored with MIC Weekly Awards.

Emma Brkljacic returned to the lineup this week and returned with a fervor. In just her second meet with TWU, after transferring from Northern Illinois University, Brkljacic competed on vault, beam and floor.

Starting on vault, Brkljacic matched her career high of a 9.800 to tie for second overall on the event. She followed vault up with a strong 9.625 on beam. Then, in her first time competing on floor, Brkljacic tied for second with a career high 9.825.

Brkljacic's scores helped lead the Pioneers to a season high team score on vault, 49.000, and a season high team score on floor, 48.800.

For her incredible performance this past weekend, Brkljacic was named the MIC Newcomer of the Week.

"Emma has been an incredible addition to our team this year," TWU Head Coach Lisa Bowerman said. "To see her hard work and belief paying off in the competition arena already this season is incredibly exciting and rewarding.  Emma truly has a passion for this sport and competing for her team.  She is determined, relentless and committed.  She is just getting started in what I know will be an amazing career as a Pioneer!"

While the MIC Sports Information Directors vote on the Newcomer of the Week, the Gymnast of the Week and the Performance of the Week, last season the MIC added another weekly award – the Coaches' Choice Award, which is voted on by the MIC Head Coaches.

The Coaches Choice Award honors a gymnast for not only her performance but also her attitude and overall impact on the success of the team.

This week, Lainey Hunt was chosen as the recipient of the Coaches' Choice Award.

Hunt, who has exhibitioned for the Pioneers on bars this season, entered the lineup in the lead-off spot for the first time in her career. A long road of injuries and setbacks culminated in a joyful moment for Hunt, who scored a career high 9.600 on bars and helped guide the Pioneers to their win on Saturday. 

"Words can't even express the joy in seeing Lainey compete as our lead-off in the bar line-up this past weekend," Bowerman said. "It has been an incredibly long, and challenging road for her as she has battled injuries and setbacks throughout her career.  Lainey has never stopped working hard, and she has never given up.  Even through the hardest times, she has always led with joy and poured passion and love into her team. We are so proud of Lainey for what she has already accomplished and cannot wait to see what the rest of the season brings for her."

This marks the third and fourth weekly awards for the Pioneers this season. TWU continues their 2024 season this week at home in KMA with a dual meet against Missouri on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m.