LEONARDTOWN, Md., June 11, 2025 — The St. Mary’s Gymnastics Academy (SMGA) concluded its 2024-2025 season with remarkable achievements, as its gymnasts demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication across multiple competitions. Athletes from SMGA earned high scores and secured notable placements at state and regional meets, highlighting the program’s strength and the commitment of its coaches and families.

Throughout the season, SMGA gymnasts consistently excelled, with many scoring 33 or higher and qualifying for state-level competitions. Standout performers included Penny Eason, Christa Middleton, Wendy Buchanan, Audrey Toth, Cecilia Lipp, Bridget Nguyen, Anna Hayashi, Kenley King, and Julia Botwin, all of whom secured first-place all-around wins at various events. Their achievements underscored the academy’s focus on fostering talent and resilience.

At the USAG State Meets, held at multiple locations across Maryland, SMGA gymnasts continued to shine. Most athletes achieved scores of 36 or higher, showcasing their competitive prowess. Christa Middleton earned sixth place all-around in the Platinum category with a score of 36.275. Penny Eason, while not placing, achieved a personal best all-around score of 38.250, marking a significant milestone in her season.

The season culminated at the USAG Regionals, held May 15-18, 2025, in State College, Pennsylvania. Gymnasts competing at the Gold level, along with one Platinum-level athlete, delivered impressive performances. All participants scored 36 or above, reflecting their preparation and skill. Kenley King tied for seventh place all-around with a score of 36.425 and secured a tie for second place on floor with a 9.500. Reagan Wagner led SMGA with the highest all-around score of 37.050 and tied for second place on floor in the Gold category with a 9.750.

The success of SMGA’s gymnasts was driven by their passion and rigorous training, supported by the expertise and encouragement of their coaches. “Each routine, every flip, and every tumble showcased the gymnasts’ passion and commitment to the sport,” SMGA noted in a statement. The academy also praised the unwavering support of gymnasts’ families, whose dedication played a critical role in the season’s accomplishments.

SMGA’s competitive season reflects the academy’s mission to nurture young athletes through disciplined training and a supportive community. The program’s emphasis on both technical skill and personal growth has positioned its gymnasts for success in high-stakes competitions. The academy offers a range of programs, including recreational gymnastics, for athletes of all levels.

For those interested in learning more about SMGA or its recreational gymnastics program, additional details are available on the official website. The academy is already preparing for the 2025-2026 season, with plans to build on this year’s achievements.

The St. Mary’s Gymnastics Academy, based in Leonardtown, has long been a cornerstone of the local community, providing opportunities for young athletes to develop their skills in a supportive environment. The 2024-2025 season’s success further solidifies SMGA’s reputation as a leading gymnastics program in Maryland. As the academy celebrates its athletes’ accomplishments, it looks forward to continued growth and excellence in the coming year.

Related

Olivia Dunne, aka Livvy, a standout gymnast and one of the most recognizable faces in college athletics, has officially closed the chapter of her athletic career. After years of dedication to the sport and a standout run with LSU, Dunne’s final season ended unexpectedly due to a serious knee injury.

The farewell season turned into a difficult and emotional exit from the competition. The injury kept her off the field and ultimately brought her gymnastics career to an early end. Though her gymnastics career has come to an end, Dunne’s influence is far from over.

Olivia Dunne’s gymnastics career ended after a serious knee injury

Olivia Dunne suffered an avulsion fracture in her patella on March 6, 2025. It is a rare overuse injury where part of the kneecap is pulled away by surrounding tendons. The injury occurred just weeks before LSU competed in the NCAA semifinals. It kept her sidelined during LSU’s Senior Night and ultimately through the NCAA semifinals.

Dunne had hoped to make a final appearance for the Tigers but was unable to recover in time. Despite LSU entering the competition as the top-ranked team, they fell short of advancing to the national championship, finishing behind Utah and UCLA. It ended both the team’s title defense and Dunne’s competitive career.

Dunne revealed in an interview with PEOPLE that the injury stemmed not from trauma but from overuse, a rare cause for such a fracture. She said,

It is such a weird injury. Usually, patella fractures are from a direct blow to the knee, but mine is from overuse, which you don’t really see very often. And really, the only thing I need is time for it to heal… and it feels like it’s been forever.

Dunne graduated from LSU in December 2024 and announced that she will continue gymnastics for the fifth year. Unfortunately, a sudden knee injury ended her career. Her final message to the sport came on social media X after LSU’s season ended.

Leaving gymnastics, Olivia Dunne has opened a new chapter

Dunne leaves behind an impressive legacy. She helped lead LSU to a historic NCAA championship in 2024, was named a WCGA Academic All-American, and competed in multiple national and international competitions throughout her career(via People).

Beyond her athletic accomplishments, Dunne made national headlines as the top-earning female NCAA athlete, capitalizing on NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities. Besides gymnastics, she has made a successful social media career with a combined social media following of over 13 million fans across TikTok and Instagram.

Since her retirement, Dunne has started a new chapter. She recently completed her first semester of graduate school, purchased an apartment in New York City, and has been house-hunting by the beach. She’s also spending more time with her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, attending MLB games. Recently, Dunne appeared in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.

Though her final season didn’t go as planned, Dunne’s impact on gymnastics, NIL opportunities, and young athletes across the country is undeniable. Her story may have taken an unexpected turn, but she’s already writing the next chapter, and fans are still watching.

Penn State men’s gymnastics made headlines in 2025 as former gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik dominated the news and as the Nittany Lions upset top-ranked Michigan — a squad with two Olympians.

While the blue and white’s season finished nearly two months ago, several members of the team continued to battle in late May at the 2025 European Artistic Gymnastics Championship.

Three Nittany Lions representing three different companies participated in the championship from May 26-31. Here’s a recap of their results. 

Kacper Garnczarek – Poland

Kacper Garnczarek finished off his junior year campaign with a career-high 13.766 on the pommel horse at the NCAA championship, but came back for more in Europe.

The Katowice, Silesian, native finished in the top-half of the floor, pommel horse, parallel bars and horizontal bars, earning a minimum of 12.866 points per round.

Garnczarek finished 93rd in the rings with a score of 11.500, resulting in a 25th place finish in the all-around as the only all-around athlete for Poland with a final total of 77.431

In addition to his individual performance, Garnczarek competed on the floor for the mixed team competition, scoring 13.100 in Round 1 of the finals to help his country finish ninth overall.

Akseli Karsikas – Finland

Finland native Akseli Karsikas dominated the 2025 Finnish Championship at the beginning of May, scoring 76.599 points for a bronze all-around medal.

His performance at the European championship started out to an equally good start, as he finished 17th in the horizontal bar with a score of 13.166. However, his performance quickly went downhill.

Karsikas scored higher on the floor with a 13.400 — posting a 5.2 routine difficulty — but finished in 31st place.

In the rings, his routine only earned a 3.7 difficulty for 12.000 points, good for 77th place. As for the vault, the sophomore all-arounder didn’t finish after scoring 13.400 in his first attempt.

Despite the poor finish, Karsikas helped Finland to finish ninth overall, its highest team finish with 236.861 points.

Ian Raubal – Switzerland

Junior Ian Raubal had the best individual performance for the Nittany Lions as the only finals qualifier and medal winner.

Raubal kicked off his competition with a pair of mediocre showings in the horizontal bar and rings, finishing in 32nd and 22nd, respectively.

However, the parallel bars is where he truly showed his abilities. Raubal finished second in the qualifications with a score of 13.900 before coming back for the finals with another second place and silver medal-winning performance, scoring 13.766.

Raubal’s second-place finish helped earn Switzerland a second place finish at the 2025 European Artistic Gymnastics Championship with a 245.727.

MORE SPORTS CONTENT

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Athletics saw 213 student-athletes earn Academic All-Big Ten honors from its spring programs. Arwen Borowiak (men’s fencing), Florence Caron (women’s track and field), Juds Langille (men’s golf), Jack Messina (baseball), and Tanner Piotrowski (men’s track and field) all had perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Penn State Athletics programs registered 117 fall honorees and 94 winter honorees to total 424 selections throughout the 2024-25 academic year.

To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selections, students must be on a varsity team and have been enrolled full time at the institution for a minimum of 12 months and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher. 

Among those on the list is junior Tessa Janecke of women’s ice hockey. Janecke is a two-time All-American who set the record for career points by a Nittany Lion, posting 153 to date. After her third collegiate season, she competed for the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2025 IIHF World Championships. She scored the golden goal to capture the gold medal for the Red, White, and Blue.

Women’s track and field led the spring honorees, overthrowing men’s lacrosse as top team for the first time since 2020. Men’s lacrosse and men’s track and field tied to lead the men’s side, posting 31 honorees each.

Team-by-Team Honorees

• Baseball – 12
• Softball – 15
• Men’s Fencing – 11
• Women’s Fencing – 15
• Men’s Golf – 6
• Women’s Golf – 4
• Women’s Ice Hockey – 10
• Men’s Lacrosse – 31
• Women’s Lacrosse – 22
• Men’s Tennis – 7
• Women’s Tennis – 6
• Men’s Track and Field – 31
• Women’s Track and Field – 33
• Men’s Volleyball – 10

The latest 213 honorees bring Penn State’s total academic honorees to 9,174 since 1991-92.

Penn State Highest Spring Academic All-Big Totals (3.0 GPA) (in order of highest totals):

• 2021 – 226^
• 2022 – 224*
• 2025 – 213
• 2023 – 210
• 2024 – 208
• 2019 – 183
• 2020 – 174^
• 2018 – 166

*: School Record
^: Alternate grading system used due to COVID-19.

Graduation Success Rates

Penn State student-athletes continue to register record-breaking graduation rates and perform well above their peers nationwide. The Nittany Lions posted a record-tying 93% NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) and 11 programs earned perfect 100% ratings. This is the eight consecutive year the Nittany Lions posted a record or record-tying performance in the classroom, according to data reported by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The NCAA’s annual graduation rates report of Division I institutions across the nation revealed Penn State student-athletes at the University Park campus earned a Graduation Success Rate (GSR) of 93% to equal the school’s all-time record of 93%, which was set in the 2023 NCAA report. Nittany Lion students posted a 93% graduation rate compared to the 90% average for all Division I institutions for student-athletes entering from 2014-15 academic year through the 2017-18 academic year.

Penn State student-athletes have logged a Graduation Success Rate in the 88-93% range during each of the past 18 NCAA reports, improving from 88% in the 2015 report to a record-tying 93% report in the 2024 report.

Penn State among the nation’s most comprehensive and successful athletic programs

Under the leadership of Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Patrick Kraft, Penn State has one of the nation’s most comprehensive and successful athletic programs, featuring 800 student-athletes across 31 varsity programs (16 men’s, 15 women’s). The Nittany Lions’ 31 programs are tied for the fourth-highest number of sports sponsored by a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institution.

Late last Friday night, after years of litigation, Judge Claudia Wilken approved the landmark House v. NCAA settlement, which will allow schools to participate in revenue sharing directly with the athletes, and there will be a salary cap system ($20.5 million to athletes) plus roster limits to college sports.

This settlement was from a branch of three lawsuits combined into one case, which addressed compensation for collegiate athletes. The results of this case also bring $2.8 billion in damages for former and current athletes since 2016 who were not able to profit from NIL, as the name, image and likeness model was created in the summer of 2021.

While the form of distribution by sport is yet to be officially determined, like today’s NIL, those in athletic programs such as football and men’s basketball will likely receive a higher paycheck than the other fields. But of course, there are outlying athletes in sports like baseball, softball, gymnastics and more that have earned far more than the average person in their sport.

These Olympians and world-class athletes since 2016 will be compensated over the next 10 years via the $2.8 billion, but how much would they have made if NIL and revenue sharing were available when they were in college?

The Southeastern Conference has produced countless national champions, world record holders and Olympic gold medalists over the last decade who never got to take full advantage of NIL. Here is one former athlete from each SEC school that could’ve profited the most off their name, image and likeness when they were in college.

Note: Oklahoma and Texas joined the SEC in 2024, but the athletes listed below from these schools were in the Big 12 at the time of their enrollment.

Alabama: DeVonta Smith

The former Crimson Tide pass-catcher became one of the all-time greats during the 2020 season as in addition to winning the CFP National Championship, he became just the fourth wide receiver in college football history to take home the Heisman Trophy. He was constantly doubted due to his slim frame, but his ability to overcome it and dominate is what sports companies salivate for.

Runner-up: Tua Tagovailoa, Brandon Miller and Collin Sexton

Arkansas: Kevin Kopps

The former Razorbacks pitcher had too many accolades to not be offered brand deals. In addition to being named the 2021 SEC Pitcher of the Year and landing on the conference’s postseason First Team, Kopps won the Golden Spikes Award, the Dick Howser Trophy, was a Unanimous First Team All-American and was named the National Pitcher of the Year by every major organization.

Runner-up: Frank Ragnow

Auburn: Suni Lee

The former Tigers gymnast is a two-time all-around gold medalist, has a silver medal and a bronze as well. But while at Auburn, she was named the 2022 SEC Freshman of the Year, was the NCAA champion on beam, the NCAA runner-up on all-around and was the SEC champion on bars. Her immediate success certainly would’ve attracted brand deals across the globe.

Runner-up: Jabari Smith

Florida: Caeleb Dressel

And speaking of Olympic powerhouses, the former Florida swimmer has won nine gold medals between three Olympic Games. While swimming typically isn’t the most lucrative sport for NIL, companies would’ve clawed their way to Dressel in college as the 28-time All-American (the most you could possibly achieve) was a 10-time NCAA Champion and three-time SEC Swimmer of the Year.

Runner-up: Kyle Pitts

Georgia: Anthony Edwards

Aside from Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame forward Dominique Wilkins, UGA hasn’t really produced notable NBA talent. That was until Anthony Edwards came along and his high-flying freakish athleticism helped him become the No. 1 overall pick of 2020 NBA Draft. The three-time NBA All-Star and 2024 Olympic gold medalist’s confidence with the Bulldogs would’ve been gold for the cameras.

Runner-up: Nick Chubb

Kentucky: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

The 2025 NBA MVP and three-time All-NBA First Team member was quite the talent to watch at Kentucky. Despite being on a Wildcats team that had six other future NBA players, Gilgeous-Alexander was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team, the All-SEC Second Team and was named the SEC Tournament MVP. A young standout at a Blue Blood school is an automatic yes to companies.

Runner-up: Josh Hines-Allen

LSU: Joe Burrow

The former Tigers quarterback took a risk when he transferred from Ohio State after two years and his junior season at LSU wasn’t anything special. But a switch flipped in him and he had one of the greatest individual seasons of all time in 2019, as he won the CFP National Championship, the Heisman Trophy and several other awards. Burrow’s story would’ve made him millions in just that year.

Runner-up: Paul Skenes and Sha’Carri Richardson

Mississippi State: Montez Sweat

After barely seeing time on the field in two years at Michigan State, the former Mississippi State edge rusher annihilated opponents during his first season with the Bulldogs. Sweat led the SEC in tackles for loss and sacks to become a First Team All-American. Sweat’s bet on himself paid off and his last name would’ve been great to profit off of for tons of different companies while in college.

Runner-up: Jeffery Simmons

Missouri: Drew Lock

The former Tigers quarterback was a four-year starter who blew up in 2017 after leading the SEC in pass attempts and yards while also being No. 1 in FBS in touchdown passes. Lock, who is just one of three Mizzou QBs to see an NFL gridiron since 2010, was known for his backpack celebration that he performed after his 44 touchdowns. He could’ve had numerous deals with backpack companies.

Runner-up: Sophie Cunningham

Ole Miss: A.J. Brown

What’s better than leading the SEC in receiving yards once? How about twice? That’s just what former Ole Miss wide receiver A.J. Brown, who is the Rebels’ all-time receiving leader, did in 2017 and 2018. What also made Brown very marketable besides his accolades was the fact that he was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 2016 as an outfielder. Two-sport athletes are a gold mine for third parties.

Runner-up: D.K. Metcalf

Oklahoma: Kyler Murray

And speaking of two-sport athletes, in high school, Murray became the first player to be named Mr. Texas Football twice after winning three consecutive state championships and was also a highly touted baseball star. Murray was eventually picked No. 9 overall in the 2018 MLB Draft. But in that same year, he won the Heisman Trophy and was later selected No. 1 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft!

Runner-up: Baker Mayfield, Jocelyn Alo and Trae Young

South Carolina: A’ja Wilson

Wilson is another athlete who became a known name in high school, as the three-time WNBA MVP was named the National High School Player of the Year in 2014. Her college career was even more illustrious as the three-time SEC Player of the Year won the Wooden Award and Naismith Award in 2018. Simply put, Wilson had way too many accomplishments to not have endorsements.

Runner-up: Aliyah Boston

Tennessee: Grant Williams

The former Tennessee forward ruled the Southeastern Conference during his tenure as he was named the SEC Player of the Year in 2018 and 2019––the first player to win the award in back-to-back years since 1995. Williams was also a consensus First Team All-American in 2019 and his intensity and tenaciousness on both sides of the ball would certainly draw interest from a variety of brands.

Runner-up: Jalin Hyatt

Texas: Mo Bamba

The former Texas center may not be the No. 1 athlete on this list, but his last name might’ve made him the most money. Bamba grew up with rapper Sheck Wes in Harlem, N.Y., and the rapper created a song during Bamba’s freshman year called “Mo Bamba”––a worldwide phenomenon. Who knows how much money Bamba could’ve made from this and the NIL opportunities that would follow it?

Runner-up: Scottie Scheffler

Texas A&M: Myles Garrett

A lot of No. 1 overall ranked high school prospects over the years didn’t exactly pan out while others met the major expectations in the future. The former Texas A&M defensive end was certainly the latter as the four-time NFL First Team-All Pro was the unanimous No. 1 recruit in 2014 and was selected No. 1 in the 2017 NFL Draft. NIL seeks the best and he exceeded expectations at all stages.

Runner-up: De’Von Achane

Vanderbilt: JJ Bleday

Former Vanderbilt outfielder JJ Bleday had quite the 2019 campaign as he was a First Team All-American, the SEC Player of the Year and the SEC Tournament MVP. The No. 4 pick of the 2019 MLB Draft’s 27 home runs were a Vanderbilt single-season record and it also led the country. Being the star player on a College World Series championship-winning team is the golden ticket to NIL deals.

Runner-up: Darius Garland

Official Tally:

After a tremendous regular season for the conference that “just means more,” a record-breaking 13 teams from the SEC were selected to participate In the 2025 NCAA Division I Baseball Tournament. This is the second time this year that the Southeastern Conference broke a tournament record as men’s basketball had 14 teams featured in the NCAA Tournament.

Of those 13 baseball teams, eight of them hosted a regional––half of the 16-team and 1-seed field. This historic feat had all eyes on the SEC over the past couple of weeks, which also put a target on the conference’s back.

Simply put, SEC opponents during the regionals round hit a bullseye. Regional hosts Vanderbilt and Texas, the overall No. 1 and No. 2 seeds respectively, were quickly eliminated. It was just the second time ever that the No. 1 and 2 national seeds both failed to make the Super Regionals.

Only four of the 13 SEC teams advanced to the Super Regionals in the best-of-three format last week. Auburn fell to Coastal Carolina in two games, national 3-seed Arkansas defeated SEC foe and defending national champion Tennessee in the same fashion and 6-seed LSU cruised past West Virginia 2-0 as well.

In short, of the 13 SEC teams who made the regionals round, only Arkansas and LSU advanced to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, along with six other teams. The eight Super Regional winners are split into two double-elimination brackets with four teams in each. Here’s a look at the first matchups for each bracket, as the two SEC programs will face off right away.

Following the House v. NCAA Settlement, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua met with United States President Donald Trump on Sunday at his golf course in Bedminster, N.J. to discuss the impacts of the historic court case.

“I’ve always appreciated his interest in college sports,” Sankey said on Monday, per Matt Fortuna on X (formerly known as Twitter). “We’ve hosted him at some of our games. … It was helpful for me and for Pete as well to hear his thought and his perspective and share some of ours. I think those are best left for the moment on the golf course.”

Sankey went on The Paul Finebaum Show on Monday and discussed the meeting.

How did Commissioner Greg Sankey’s golf game with President Trump come together this weekend? And how was the Commissioner’s message about the future of college sports received? pic.twitter.com/nP9I9hRBvU

— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) June 9, 2025

Inside the SEC will appear every Wednesday.