Kate Richardson (2021) - Hall of Fame

Kate Richardson

Induction:
2021

Canadian standout Kate Richardson came to UCLA two years after her first Olympic Games and made history after her sophomore season in 2004 by becoming the first female gymnast to make an Olympic team while competing at UCLA. She also became the first Canadian woman ever to qualify for event finals on floor exercise at the Olympics, where she placed seventh. As a Bruin gymnast, she won two NCAA team titles in 2003 and 2004 and three NCAA individual titles, capturing the 2003 uneven bars and balance beam titles and the 2006 floor exercise crown. Richardson won a multitude of honors at UCLA, including 13 All-America awards, 14 All-Pac-10 awards, and three Academic All-America honors. She was named the 2003 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, 2006 Pac-10 Gymnast of the Year and a 2006 NCAA Today's Top VIII Award-winner. She scored nine perfect 10s in her career, including 10.0s on floor to win the 2003 and 2004 Pac-10 Championships. She also won the 2003 Pac-10 all-around title with a score of 39.825, a Pac-10 record that held for 16 years. Richardson was selected to the Pac-12 All-Century Team for floor exercise.