In unprecedented times, Yale University Athletics is rallying together as One Bulldog Nation. While the health and safety of everyone must be at the forefront of every decision, Yale Athletics celebrates the outstanding accomplishments that our winter postseason-qualifying teams and spring programs have made this season. This week we begin honoring the outstanding senior classes of our teams that had their seasons cut short. Next up is gymnastics.
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- The Yale gymnastics team had just started the championship portion of its season -- one in which the Bulldogs were aiming to add to a long list of accomplishments in recent years -- when the coronavirus forced the cancellation of sporting events across the world. Less than two weeks after achieving a season-high 194.375 at Maryland, the Bulldogs' season was over. With that, the Yale careers of six gymnasts who helped the program to multiple championships came to a sudden end. While the Class of 2020's legacy may thus always feel incomplete, it is nonetheless an impressive one.
Were it not for the shutdown, the Yale gymnasts would be preparing for the ECAC Championships right now -- an event they won in 2017 and 2018, the first two ECAC titles in school history. They also claimed a pair of Ivy Classic titles in the last three years, bringing Yale's total in that category to 17. All told Yale finished in the top two at Ivies and ECACs six times in the Class of 2020's four years in New Haven.
Coppell, Texas, native
Jade Buford leaves as one of Yale's best all-around competitors, having won the all-around title at the Ivy Classic three times and the floor title twice. As a first year, she qualified for NCAA Regionals for the all-around. She was the ECAC Rookie of the Year in 2017 and the ECAC Gymnast of the Year in 2018 and and 2019. Additionally, after recovering from surgery her junior year, Buford was first team All-American in all-around and second team All-ECAC in vault, bars, beam, floor and all-around.Â
Buford is in Trumbull College and majoring in history of science, medicine, and public health. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Master's in Public Health for epidemiology.Â
"Jade is beyond talented, but more importantly puts her maximum effort in everyday. She has been one of the most hard-working members of the team throughout the past four years," said her teammates, YGT 47. "Her commitment to the team is palpable and her impact will be felt for years to come due to the championships she helped win. She does all that while also always entertaining people and creating crowds of laughs."
Warrenton, Va., native
Rebecca Chong has competed floor and vault all four years as a Bulldog. In 2017, she earned first team All-American on vault, tied for fifth on vault at USAG Collegiate Nationals and tied for third on floor and vault at the ECAC Championships. As a sophomore, she was a first team All-American and first team All-ECAC on vault, placed runner-up on vault during qualifications at USAG Collegiate Nationals and qualified for individual event finals at Nationals. She was third on vault at the 2019 Ivy Classic.
Chong is in Branford College and is majoring in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. After graduation she plans to attend medical school to begin her journey to becoming a neurosurgeon.
"Becca had such an amazing career at Yale with consistent scores all four years on both vault and floor. She has been a steady presence for the team both in practice and in competition with her gorgeous vault and floor routines," said her teammates, YGT 47. "She is a supportive friend and teammate with a radiant smile and sassy sense of humor and always brings a confident presence into the gym that is carried with her into competitions. She is a dependable member of this team and her dedication to everything she does is admirable."
Honesdale, Pa., native
Emma Firmstone has competed four events for the Bulldogs throughout her time at Yale, specializing on the balance beam and floor exercise. She was elected captain by her teammates this past season.
Firmstone was second team All-ECAC for floor and all-around in 2018, 2019 ECAC All-Academic Team and 2019 Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association Scholastic All-American. She was an integral part of the beam lineup that now holds the top nine beam team scores in program history. Additionally, she is a part of the floor lineup that holds five of the top 10 floor team scores in history. During her time at Yale, she has seven event title wins, most notably her 9.900 2019 ECAC champion beam routine.
Firmstone is a member of Saybrook College and is majoring in history of science, medicine and public health. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in the health policy sector before going to graduate school.
"It has been an honor to witness Emma grow, mature and inspire us. She leads by example in the gym and goes above and beyond to look out for everyone on the team outside of practice as well," said her teammates, YGT 47. "Her smile is contagious and her positive energy has pushed us to be our best this year. We are so grateful to have her on our team."
Pleasanton, Calif., native
Carly Israel was set to compete on all four events coming into her first year, most notably at the top of Yale's lineup on beam and vault. However, an injury sent her on a road to recovery that lasted more than a year. She came back her junior year stronger than ever, ready to be a vital part of Yale's beam lineup. A force she was, sticking several competition beam routines, helping Yale's beam lineup team score earn multiple places in Yale's Top 10 list. She had a career-high 9.775 on beam at the ECAC Championships and was named to the ECAC All-Academic Team.
Israel is a biomedical engineering major in Pierson College. Upon graduation, she will move back to the West Coast as a healthcare consultant for Trinity Health in San Francisco, Calif.
"Carly has made a huge impact on this entire team. Her work ethic and endless determination does not go unseen, whether that be in practice, competition or in her studies. She puts purpose into every single thing she does and is the true embodiment of hard work and discipline," said her teammates, YGT 47. "It is inspiring to watch her elegant and charismatic gymnastics this season. We have been able to see her grow as a gymnast and as a person and we are really going to miss her contagious laughter, humor, and positive presence she has had on this team."
Indianapolis, Ind., native
Anna Jennings has been a key part of Yale's vault lineup the last four years. As a first year she competed vault and floor, earning first team All-American for vault exercise, fourth on floor at the Ivy Classic and qualifying for the vault exercise final at the USA Gymnastics Collegiate Championships. She has been an integral part of a vault lineup that now holds nine out of the top 10 vault team scores in Yale history.
After coming back from surgery her sophomore season, Jennings competed vault and placed in the top 15 at ECACs and the USAG National Championships. Her junior year, she placed third on vault at the Ivy Classic. Additionally, she was named a member of the ECAC All-Academic Team for the second time.
Jennings was a 2019 Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association Scholastic All-American and is double majoring in sociocultural anthropology and the history of science, medicine and public health. She is a member of Silliman College and plans to pursue a career in social and behavioral health sciences before applying to graduate school.Â
"Anna has been a huge part of this team's success. Not only has she been a consistent lead-off on vault, but she's constantly lifting her teammates up with small words of encouragement as well as her vibrant energy," said her teammates, YGT 47. "Her devotion to this team goes beyond pushing herself in the gym, and her perseverance is admirable to say the least. Anna made us feel at home right away and we are going to miss her smile and pep talks that keep us going."
La Cañada, Calif., native
Sofia Menemenlis has competed floor exercise during her tenure on the team. She has exemplified the principles of persistence, hard work and grit in pursuit of gymnastics excellence at Yale. Her floor career-high score is a 9.65.
Menemenlis earned Yale's Francis Gordon Brown Prize and has been named to the ECAC Women's Gymnastics All-Academic Team two times in her Yale career. This season, she placed in the top 12 against Springfield and top 10 against RIC.
Menemenlis is a member of Timothy Dwight College majoring in geology and geophysics as well as global affairs. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in climate science and international environmental policy.Â
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"Sof is such a positive light in the gym. She always comes into practice with a big smile and positive attitude that makes everyone around her smile too," said her teammates, YGT 47. "She works tirelessly to perfect her skills and constantly improve her routines. Her intelligence and work ethic are inspiring both in the classroom and in the gym. Her supportive presence will be dearly missed next year."
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