Rising to the Occasion Truly Marks a Winning Season: Sometimes the essence of sport is captured in the development and revelation of both team and individual character. Our 2016 season was certainly a resounding success from this perspective. For the second year in a row, a family tragedy struck our team as co-captain Keaton Ackerman's youngest brother passed away. Once again, the character that our men's gymnastics team showed in supporting Keaton was extraordinary as was Keaton's handling of the adversity. This level of class displayed by Keaton and the team is precisely the type of behavior that helps in keeping a historically great university like William and Mary great. Here is a link to an article on Keaton and his family:
http://www.dailypress.com/sports/william-and-mary/dp-spt-wm-gymnast-ackerman-20160514-story.html
 
A First for the Rock Award--For the past 42 years the Rock Award has been presented to the gymnast that could always be counted on when the going got tough. The Rock recipient is often the hardest working gymnast or the gymnast who had to overcome significant obstacles to his success. Each year this treasured award is passed from Rock to Rock in a season ending cerremony. This year, the Rock Award was presented to the Simon Casey who very quietly showed all of us how to work hard, overcome adversity, and enjoy sport all at the same time. Since Simon is a senior, a Pebble Award was given to Jacopo Gliozzi, who is now entrusted with the responsibility of giving out next year's Rock. This year also marked a very special occurrence as the first and only Coaches Rock Award was presented to Dr. Fred Ward for demonstrating exactly what the concept of being a Rock is all about. Doc's bout with cancer has shown the team exactly how to overcome obstacles while proceding forward with life as a gentleman, a scholar, and a giving, growing human being.

Since 1987 the prestigious Mister Award has been given to the member of the team who in the eyes of his teammates is most inspirational to and responsible for the team's character and success. This year's Mister Award went to senior, co-captain Adam Avant. Additionally, the Pete Walker "Fruits of My Labor" prize was presented to Nick Van Dyke for his sustained effort in developing strength while the Captain America Hero Award was passed from Rob Meyer to Grif Antle.
 
Three in a Row Gives W&M a Record Eighth National Academic Title—Once again the Tribe gymnasts preserved the scholar-athlete tradition that has become a significant part of the culture of William and Mary gymnastics by combining for a 3.51 team grade point average. In 2014 we won the national academic team title with a record breaking 3.62 combined grade point and then followed it up with another title in 2015 with a 3.46. This year's GPA enabled us to claim a third straight title as well as an impressive run of four titles in the last five years (we placed second to Stanford in 2013 after winning in 2012 with a 3.53). This now gives W&M an eighth championship—more than any other university in men's gymnastics. We also won the national titles in 1991, 1992, 2002, and 2008. Additionally, we placed second in 1994, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2009, and 2013 and third in 1999, 2006 and 2011. The team award was first initiated by the College Gymnastics Association in 1991.
           
William and Mary gymnasts have also received more individual All-American Scholar-Athlete designations from the College Gymnastics Association than gymnasts from any other university. Academically, the junior class of Mat Turnansky (math), Rob Meyer (government), and Aria Sabbagh (neuroscience) once again led the way as they combined for a remarkable 3.83 grade point. The freshmen class consisting of Jacopo Gliozzi (physics), David Allen (math), Peter Makey (English/environmental science interests), Jack Hasenkopf (science/math oriented), and David Watkins (leaning towards economics) amazed everybody with their combined 3.57. The seniors finished third at 3.40: Keaton Ackerman graduated early and started his MBA in accounting and is lined up to work with Deloitte Consulting in Washington, DC, Adam Avant was accepted to the University of Colorado  medical school, Nick Van Dyke (economics) will return to compete for us next year, and Simon Casey, a kinesiology and health science major is lining up to pursue prosthetic design and fitting. The sophomores ended up fourth while combining for a very credible 3.39.
           
One semester of a perfect 4.0 grade point was earned by Mitchell Campbell (applied math), David Allen, and Mat (he has published three articles and is working on a fourth) while Jacopo managed an impressive 4.0 both semesters. Peter has yet to receive a grade below A-. During the course of the year Grif Antle (English), Jeremiah McReynolds (computer science), Jake Honsberger (economics), Jake Feldmann (neuroscience), Rob, Keaton, Adam, and Nick each earned the highest grade point of their careers. Another incredible achievement was that 11 of our gymnasts earned Provost Awards given each year to varsity athletes with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50: Adam (his 4^th award), Keaton (3^rd), Aria (3^rd), Mat (3^rd), Mitchell (2^nd), Ryan Metzger (2^nd), Grif (1^st), David A (1^st), Jack (1^st), Peter (1^st), and Jacopo (1^st).
 
A Final NCAA Rank of 14^th and Lots of Individual Triumphs—The Tribe ended up the season ranked 14^th in the NCAA's final statistics with nine gymnasts advancing to compete in the NCAA qualifying rounds: Aria Sabbagh (all-around), Jack Hasenkopf (all-around), Simon Casey (floor, pommels and vault), Nick Van Dyke (rings and vault), Grif Antle (pommels and p-bars), David Allen (high bar), Jacopo Gliozzi (pommels), and  Rob Meyer (p-bars). Keaton Ackerman scratched due to a shoulder injury. 

We also hosted a great ECAC Championship in which Navy and Army tied for first and W&M finished third with our top score of the season. Nick Van Dyke received the coveted Most Improved Gymnast Award and earned All-ECAC honors on both rings and vaulting. Additional All-ECAC honors went to Aria Sabbagh in the all-around, Grif Antle on both pomel horse and parallel bars, Rob Meyer on the parallel bars, and Adam Avant on floor exercise. During the course of the year, Juan Palma and Grif Antle won the ECAC Specialist of the Week Awards; Jack Hasenkopf and Jacopo Gliozzi won ECAC Rookie of the Week Awards; and Keaton Ackerman, David Allen, and Rob Meyer each won the ECAC Coaches Choice Award. 

At the 2016 USA Gymnastics Collegiate Championships, junior Rob Meyer became the national parallel bars champion with his gold medal performance. Freshmen Jacopo Gliozzi and Peter Makey rose to the occasion and earned their first USAG Collegiate All-American honors on pommel horse and rings respectively. Junior Aria Sabbagh received USAG Collegiate All-American designation in the all-around for the second straight year while freshmen Jack Hasenkopf and David Allen just missed as they placed seventh and eighth in the all-around. Aria was also elected by his peers to become the student-athlete representative to the Men's Collegiate Gymnastics Committee for USA Gymnastics.
 
Moves in the All-Time Records—Every season gymnastics continues to evolve and our record books continue to be re-written. Two of our graduating seniors finished their careers in our All-Time Top Ten as Keaton Ackerman moved into the fourth place position on pommel horse, fifth in the all-around, and tenth on vaulting while Simon Casey ended up tenth on floor exercise. Nine of our returning gymnasts have carved out positions in our All-Time Top Ten Records: Nick Van Dyke (3-V and 4-R); Aria Sabbagh (6-AA, 8-HB, and 10-V), Rob Meyer (4-PB); Juan Palma (4-FE, 5-V), Grif Antle (2-PH), Jeremiah McReynolds (7-R); Jack Hasenkopf (8-AA, 10-FE); David Allen (10-AA), and Jacopo Gliozzi (4-PH).
 
William and Mary All Sports Awards Banquet—Each year the Student Athletic Advisory Committee presents a community service award to a male and a female athlete. This year the SAAC honored the entire men's gymnastics team for their work in the community ranging from volunteering in our Saturday kids gymnastics program and conducting (under the direction of Keaton Ackerman) the Williamsburg awareness and fund raising walk for the National Eating Disorders Association to collecting over 3000 pounds of food and blankets during our annual canned food drive which has now gone over 20,000 pounds of goods since we started collection in 2007.
           
Adam Avant won the President's Award for men's gymnastics and was a finalist for the Unsung Hero Award. Nick Van Dyke and Keaton Ackerman were finalists for the Comeback Kid Award as was Jacopo Gliozzi for Rookie of  the Year. Rob Meyer was recognized as the USA Gymnastics national champion on the parallel bars while Keaton was also a finalist for the coveted "Griffy" Award which is the athletic department's parallel to the Sullivan Award given at Commencement.