Athlete of the Week: UAA Gymnast Rachel Decious

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – College of Alaska Anchorage Gymnastics senior Rachel Decious ended her residence profession in model over the weekend by profitable two particular person occasions to assist UAA to their first crew win of the season.

Decious fairly actually grew up a Seawolf, beginning on the crew as a freshman when she was 18 years previous, and now the 22-year-old is a fifth-year senior captain on the crew.

“I noticed her from that child freshman to now the fifth-year senior who’s change into a real chief. Now we have labored collectively on beam all 5 years and we see her rating improve after yr after yr after yr,” UAA Gymnastics head coach Marie-Sophie Boggasch stated.

In her final residence meet, Decious gained two particular person occasions: the beam (her favourite occasion) with a rating of 9.825, and the ground with a rating of 9.850.

“We had quite a lot of sticks on Sunday and once we completed our routines we simply felt like not a aid, however identical to wow we labored so arduous for this second and we lastly did it,” Decious stated.

Each school gymnast goes via a number of twists and turns all through their profession, nevertheless it’s truthful to say that the fifth-year senior has been via greater than the standard student-athlete. Not solely did the pandemic drastically impression her sophomore season, however this system was reduce by the board of regents with the stipulation that in the event that they raised sufficient cash they might hold competing. Decious and the remainder of the crew did simply that, making calls and making historical past by maintaining this system alive.

“She was one of many individuals who by no means doubted us which was wonderful as a result of it was a tough time and she or he was right here till the tip and fortunately it was a really optimistic finish,” Boggasch stated.

Decious says that after she graduates, she is planning on sticking round in Alaska and serving to with the gymnastics crew at the least for a yr.

Nevertheless, her senior season isn’t performed but. The Seawolves take every week off earlier than going out of state with meets towards Simpson on Feb. 17 and Iowa State on Feb. 19.

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