UCLA junior Jordan Chiles and graduate student Frida Esparza have been selected the Big Ten Conference Gymnast and Co-Event Specialist of the Week, respectively. This is Chiles' fourth award this season and Esparza's first.
Chiles and Esparza helped lead UCLA to a 197.675-195.450 victory over Penn State on Feb. 14, a team total that helped vault UCLA into No. 2 in the national rankings. The duo tied for first place on uneven bars, scoring 9.975, and the Bruins recorded a season-high 49.575 on the event.
In addition to the bars win, Chiles won the all-around with a season-high 39.600, earning her second victory of the season, and captured her sixth consecutive floor exercise title, tying for first with Brooklyn Moors with a 9.950. Chiles has scored 9.950 or higher on her last six floor routines. Additionally, she tied for third on vault with a 9.825 and was sixth on beam with a 9.850. Chiles now ranks No. 1 in the nation on floor, No. 8 on vault and No. 23 on bars.
Esparza's 9.975 on bars established a new career high for her, and the perfect 10 awarded from one of the two judges was her first perfect score ever received. The victory was her second consecutive and team-leading fourth overall this year, and the score moved her into No. 3 in the national rankings. Esparza is averaging 9.904 on bars and has scored 9.9 or higher in five of seven meets.
Big Ten Gymnast of the Week: Jan. 7 – Nikki Smith, Michigan State; Jan. 14 – Jordan Chiles, UCLA; Jan. 21 – Jordan Chiles, UCLA and Tory Vetter, Ohio State; Jan. 28 – Emma Spence, Nebraska; Feb. 4 – Jordan Chiles, UCLA and Nikki Smith, Michigan State; Feb. 11 – Chae Campbell, UCLA and Nikki Smith, Michigan State; Feb. 18 – Jordan Chiles, UCLA.
Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week: Jan. 7 – Sage Kellerman, Michigan State; Jan. 14 – Emma Malabuyo, UCLA and Mya Hooten, Minnesota; Jan. 21 – Brooklyn Moors, UCLA and Carly Bauman, Michigan; Jan. 28 – Lauren Homecillo, Nebraska and Teryn Crump, Minnesota; Feb. 4 – Sage Kellerman, Michigan State; Feb. 11 – Carly Bauman, Michigan; Feb. 18 – Frida Esparza, UCLA and Emily Erb, Iowa.
Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Jan. 7 – Ava Stewart, Minnesota; Jan. 14 – Aurélie Tran, Iowa; Jan. 21 – Chloe Cho, Illinois; Jan. 28 – Aurélie Tran, Iowa; Feb. 4 – Chloe Cho, Illinois; Feb. 11 – Chloe Cho, Illinois; Feb. 18 – Chloe Cho, Illinois.
Chiles and Esparza helped lead UCLA to a 197.675-195.450 victory over Penn State on Feb. 14, a team total that helped vault UCLA into No. 2 in the national rankings. The duo tied for first place on uneven bars, scoring 9.975, and the Bruins recorded a season-high 49.575 on the event.
In addition to the bars win, Chiles won the all-around with a season-high 39.600, earning her second victory of the season, and captured her sixth consecutive floor exercise title, tying for first with Brooklyn Moors with a 9.950. Chiles has scored 9.950 or higher on her last six floor routines. Additionally, she tied for third on vault with a 9.825 and was sixth on beam with a 9.850. Chiles now ranks No. 1 in the nation on floor, No. 8 on vault and No. 23 on bars.
Esparza's 9.975 on bars established a new career high for her, and the perfect 10 awarded from one of the two judges was her first perfect score ever received. The victory was her second consecutive and team-leading fourth overall this year, and the score moved her into No. 3 in the national rankings. Esparza is averaging 9.904 on bars and has scored 9.9 or higher in five of seven meets.
Big Ten Gymnast of the Week: Jan. 7 – Nikki Smith, Michigan State; Jan. 14 – Jordan Chiles, UCLA; Jan. 21 – Jordan Chiles, UCLA and Tory Vetter, Ohio State; Jan. 28 – Emma Spence, Nebraska; Feb. 4 – Jordan Chiles, UCLA and Nikki Smith, Michigan State; Feb. 11 – Chae Campbell, UCLA and Nikki Smith, Michigan State; Feb. 18 – Jordan Chiles, UCLA.
Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week: Jan. 7 – Sage Kellerman, Michigan State; Jan. 14 – Emma Malabuyo, UCLA and Mya Hooten, Minnesota; Jan. 21 – Brooklyn Moors, UCLA and Carly Bauman, Michigan; Jan. 28 – Lauren Homecillo, Nebraska and Teryn Crump, Minnesota; Feb. 4 – Sage Kellerman, Michigan State; Feb. 11 – Carly Bauman, Michigan; Feb. 18 – Frida Esparza, UCLA and Emily Erb, Iowa.
Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Jan. 7 – Ava Stewart, Minnesota; Jan. 14 – Aurélie Tran, Iowa; Jan. 21 – Chloe Cho, Illinois; Jan. 28 – Aurélie Tran, Iowa; Feb. 4 – Chloe Cho, Illinois; Feb. 11 – Chloe Cho, Illinois; Feb. 18 – Chloe Cho, Illinois.