For senior Rachel Centariczki, graduation day is a bittersweet one. Along with fellow senior, Sarah Bishop, Centariczki started the AU gymnastics club three years ago, and has watched it grow into the program it has become today.
This past week, the team competed at the National Association of Intercollegiate Gymnastics Club's annual national tournament, which was held in Cincinnati, Ohio. The team placed 12th overall in the competition, which took place from April 12 through the 14.
Like many of the gymnasts on the team, club President Centariczki got involved in gymnastics at a very young age. When an injury in high school forced her to stop competing, she stayed committed to the sport and continued as a coach.
As freshmen at AU in 2004, Centariczki and Bishop decided to start the university's first club team for gymnastics, giving both girls the opportunity to compete at the collegiate level.
"It's such a cool atmosphere," Centariczki said of competing. "It's been [an] incredible [experience]."
The team is made up of AU students and faculty, from undergrad, graduate and law students. Practice is not mandatory, but strongly suggested by the leaders of the team, and is held several days a week at off-campus facilities.
The team took part in the NAIGC national tournament for the first time last year, sending six team representatives to the event, which was held in Berkeley, Calif. This year, unlike in any past, 16 gymnasts got the opportunity to travel to Cincinnati to compete at nationals.
This success is attributed to the team's dedication, according to Centariczki.
While Texas A&M won the entire competition, AU placed 12th, breaking a school record. Also breaking a record was freshman Brittany Hopwood, who made it to the bar finals.
In three short years, AU gymnastics has become a force to reckon with. Centariczki and Bishop are graduating in May, knowing that the current sophomores and juniors will carry on their tradition of dedication and love of the sport.
"It's incredible that gymnastics on its own has become such a great organization on campus," Centariczki said. "To be sentimental, being a senior, they are the people I'm going to miss when I leave [AU]"
