Cortland, NY -- The UW-Whitewater gymnastics team finished fifth at the 2026 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championship hosted by SUNY Cortland Friday with a team total of 192.475. 

Opening the competition on the uneven bars, Paige Magel (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge) earned an All-America honor with a 9.8 to tie for seventh. Jane Heffernan (Galway, Ireland/Jesus & Mary Secondary School) scored a 9.775 followed by Ariana Goodwin (Elgin, Ill./The Einstein Academy) (9.725), Brianna Balian (Peoria, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) (9.675) and Elaine Copeland (Arlington, Texas/University Prep) (9.675). UWW's 48.650 was the second-highest team bars score at the championship and ranks fifth in program history. 

Magel paced UW-Whitewater on the balance beam in the team's second rotation with a 9.7. Kristen Swiebocki (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) added a 9.65 while Ashnaya Gupta (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) posted a 9.625. Sofia Spadafora (Windsor, Ontario, Canada/Saint Thomas of Villanova) tallied a 9.575 with Tegan Haberstock (Alberta, Canada/National Sport School) rounding out the group with an 8.725. 

Coming off of a bye rotation, the Warhawks were back at it on the floor. Juliette Rider (San Antonio, Texas/Acellus Academy) and Elaine Copeland (Arlington, Texas/University Prep) secured All-America honors with matching 9.825s to share seventh. Magel posted a 9.625 with Danielle Dudziak's (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele) lead off routine scoring a 9.6. Heffernan added a 9.575 as UWW total 48.450 on the event. 

Closing the championship on the vault, UW-Whitewater's 48.100 was bolstered by a 9.675 from Siena Vavala (Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada/King City Secondary School). Spadafora and Balian each scored 9.625 with Rider (9.6) and Copeland (9.575) rounding out the scoring crew. 

Nine Warhawk seniors also earned NCGA All-American in Academics honors including Balian, Dudziak, Gupta, Haberstock, Carleigh Moore (Oregon, Wis./Oregon), Copeland, Heffernan, Gaby Hinkle (Dewitt, Mich./Grand Ledge) and Eliana Thompson (Eaton Rapids, Mich./Eaton Rapids).