Photos courtesy of Andy Ognenoff
Saint Peter, Minn. — The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater finished second at the 2025 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships Saturday as Paige Magel (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge) and Tegan Haberstock (Alberta, Canada/National Sport School) shared the individual national title on the balance beam. The Warhawk coaching staff was also recognized with a number of honors.
UW-Whitewater finished as the national runner-up behind the second-highest team total in program history, 194.025. That score was bolstered by a program record on the balance beam – 48.875 – where three Warhawks finished among the top eight including two that shared gold. Magel and Haberstock registered phenomenal routines scoring 9.85 to share gold on the beam in a six-way tie for first place. The pair are the fifth and sixth Warhawks in program history to secure an individual national title on the balance beam. Chloe Hammond (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny) added All-America honors in the event with a seventh-place score of 9.825. Sofia Spadafora (Windsor, Ontario, Canada/Saint Thomas of Villanova) and Kelsey Kollhoff (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) each registered 9.675s to help UWW break the program record on the apparatus.
The Warhawks’ first event of the 2025 championships saw the second-highest team total in program history recorded – a 49.025 on the floor exercise. Elaine Copeland (Arlington, Texas/University Prep) and Carleigh Moore (Oregon, Wis./Oregon) led the way with 9.825s to share sixth and claim their first career All-America honors. Zoe Jenks-Recker (Cottage Grove, Wis./Monona Grove) and Kollhoff posted 9.8s while Ariana Goodwin (Elgin, Ill./The Einstein Academy) registered a 9.775 to round out UWW’s scoring five.
On the vault, Ava Pesch (Waterford, Wis./Waterford Union) paced UW-Whitewater with a 9.675. Moore added a 9.65 followed by Alayna Fern (Gainesville, Fla./Gainesville) (9.625), Hammond (9.625) and Copeland (9.575).
Kollhoff secured her fourth career All-America honor on the uneven bars. The senior’s impressive routine scored a 9.75 to share bronze in the event. Pesch posted a 9.625 while Carley Scott (Oak Grove, Mo./Grain Valley) and Magel each registered scores of 9.55. Copeland added a 9.5 on the event.
Following competition, Head Coach Jennifer Regan was named the NCGA Coach of the Year for the third time in her tenure at UWW (2009, 2017). Coach Regan was also honored as the NCGA West Region Coach of the Year this season – the fourth time she’s been recognized with the regional award. Additionally, Chloe Edgren and Acacia Fossum were named the NCGA West Region Assistant Coaches of the Year – the seventh time the honor has been bestowed upon the Warhawk staff since 2008.
The NCGA also recognized the 2025 All-Americans in Academics that include Warhawks Carley Scott (Oak Grove, Mo./Grain Valley), Fern, Jenks-Recker and Gracie Talley (Collierville, Tenn./Briarcrest Christian).
This season marks the 13th time since 2007 the Warhawks have finished among the top three nationally as a team.
As is tradition at the national championship, after all of the scores are announced, awards handed out and honors recognized, the seniors gather in a circle on the floor – coming together one last time – as all of their teammates surround them in a larger circle while music is played. This season, that circle was missing an important piece of the Warhawk family. The 2025 team has persevered through incredible adversity this season to achieve exceptional levels of success. The team has leaned on each other, supported each other and competed for each other, but above all, they did it For Her – for Kara. So as the seniors gathered in the circle with a photo of Kara firmly planted at their side, they stood together, surrounded by their teammates and the gymnastics community, a fitting end to a remarkable season.
Editor’s note: The above press release was provided by UW-Whitewater Athletics.
