NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Yale gymnastics rising senior Charlotte Cooperman (Southborough, Mass.) will serve the Bulldogs as captain during the 2020-21 academic year, Yale head coach Barbara Tonry announced.

"I am delighted to have Charlotte Cooperman as the new captain of Yale Gymnastics," said Tonry. "She has been one of the most consistent scorers and lead-offs on beam in the history of Yale gymnastics. She will be instrumental, as captain, in equaling or bettering our performance as a team."

Cooperman has competed primarily on the beam, floor and vault the past three seasons. She posted 2020 season highs of 9.850 (beam), 9.850 (floor) and 9.800 (vault). In her three years as a Bulldog, Cooperman has had a no-fall beam season three times. Cooperman posted a no-fall floor season as well in 2019-20.
 
"I'm extremely honored to be elected captain by my teammates, and humbled that they trust me to lead this team alongside my class. While the uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic will pose new challenges in the upcoming year, I'm looking forward to being back in the gym with my teammates with even more motivation to work towards those goals this year," said Cooperman. "This team is full of incredible women, and with a very talented group of first years coming in, I'm excited to see what we are capable of as a team."
 
In her first season at Yale (2018) Cooperman competed on the balance beam, scoring a season high of 9.800. She competed on beam, floor and vault the following season, posting a beam season-high of 9.825.

Cooperman has earned multiple ECAC Awards, including Coaches' Choice and Gymnast of the Week. She is part of a YGT rising senior class that also includes Jacey Baldovino (Atherton, Calif.), Alyssa Firth (Bethpage,N.Y.), Isabelle Lee (Harvard, Mass.) and Rowan Palmer (Knoxville, Tenn.).
 
"The upcoming senior class has already made a huge impact on this program in the last three years and we expect no different for next year. With our season getting cut short this past spring we have some unfinished business and I know this team is ready for the challenge," said assistant coach Andy Leis. "Charlotte has excellent leadership qualities, a tireless work ethic and all the intangibles you are looking for in a captain. I know she, along with her entire senior class, will help YGT continue its recent success and we are excited to get going in the fall."
 
A member of the recently graduated class, Anna Jennings '20, recognizes the impact Cooperman has had both as a gymnast and a leader these past three seasons.

"Since the get-go, Charlotte has been the most reliable gymnast we have on the three events she competes. Without a doubt, she is the best beam lead-off Yale gymnastics has ever had. She exemplifies her leadership qualities by her work ethic and pure devotion to Yale gymnastics," said Jennings.

Cooperman is a biomedical engineering major in Pierson College. She has spent time volunteering as a gymnastics coach with Special Olympics in her native Massachusetts.