2024 AAI Award finalists announced
American Athletic, Inc. (AAI) announced the six finalists for the 2024 AAI Award on Friday.
The six finalists for the 2024 award include Luisa Blanco (Alabama), Haleigh Bryant (LSU), Audrey Davis (Oklahoma), Maile O’Keefe (Utah), Gabby Wilson (Michigan), and Raena Worley (Kentucky).
Fifth-year seniors Blanco, O’Keefe, and Worley were also finalists last year.
Fifty female athletes were nominated for this year’s award, which is presented to the most outstanding collegiate senior female gymnast in the country.
The AAI Award is widely considered the Heisman Trophy of women’s gymnastics. AAI has been awarding this honor for over 30 years.
Lynnzee Brown (Denver), Sierra Brooks (Michigan), and Trinity Thomas (Florida) rounded out the 2023 finalists, with Brooks ultimately taking home the title of the 2023 AAI Award Winner.
This year, Auburn, UCLA, and Florida led the nominations with three apiece.
NCAA head coaches are asked to submit a nomination for the candidate or candidates of their choice. After the initial nominations, the field is narrowed to the top 6 athletes before the winner is announced the week of nationals.
See below for this year’s list of nominees in alphabetical order.
2024 AAI Award Nominees
- Shania Adams – University of Alabama
- Alyssa Al-Ashari – Northern Illinois University
- Courtney Blackson – Boise State University
- Luisa Blanco – University of Alabama
- Raisa Boris – Eastern Michigan University
- Brianna Brooks – Utah State University
- Aria Brusch – Auburn University
- Haleigh Bryant – Louisiana State University
- Chae Campbell – University of California, Los Angeles
- Audrey Davis – University of Oklahoma
- Kinsey Davis – University of Nebraska
- Brooke Donabedian – Temple University
- Katie Finnegan – University of Georgia
- Margzetta Frazier – University of California, Los Angeles
- Gianna Gerdes – University of Minnesota
- Kylie Gorgenyi – University of New Hampshire
- Gayla Griswold – Lindenwood University
- Malia Hargrove – University of Arizona
- Olivia Hollingsworth – Auburn University
- Mya Hooten – University of Minnesota
- Jessica Hutchinson – University of Denver
- Maddie Johnston – Penn State University
- Skylar Killough-Wilhelm – University of Washington
- Angelica Labat – Illinois State University
- Ellie Lazzari – University of Florida
- Emily Leese – Rutgers University
- Andi Li – University of California
- Lauren Macpherson – San Jose State University
- Alondra Maldonado – Talladega College
- Chloe Negrete – North Carolina State University
- Victoria Nguyen – University of Florida
- Maile O’Keefe – University of Utah
- Nya Reed – University of California, Los Angeles
- Payton Richards – University of Florida
- Elease Rollins – Brigham Young University
- Jensen Scalzo – University of Arkansas
- Hannah Scharf – Arizona State University
- Sienna Schreiber – University of Missouri
- Emma Silberman – University of Maryland
- Ragan Smith – University of Oklahoma
- Cassie Stevens – Auburn University
- Mia Takekawa – University of Illinois
- Megan Teter – Ball State University
- Lauren Thomas – Iowa State University
- Hallie Thompson – University of North Carolina
- Rebecca Wells – Clemson University
- Chloe Widner – Stanford University
- Gabby Wilson – University of Michigan
- Daisy Woodring – Texas Woman’s University
- Raena Worley – University of Kentucky