Luisa Blanco Named 2021 SEC Gymnast of the Year

The SEC announced on Wednesday morning that sophomore star Alabama gymnast Luisa Blanco was named the SEC Gymnast of the year, an award voted on by the head coaches of the conference.

At the 2021 SEC Gymnastics Championships last weekend, Blanco helped lead Alabama to their first win of the SEC since 2015 and its 10th conference title all-time with an overall team score of 197.875.

Blanco won four out of five of her individual events, including the all-around with her brilliant score of 39.800. This was good enough to tie her for second-highest all-around score in SEC Championship history, only behind Alabama legend Jeana Rice's 2004 score of 39.850.

Blanco was also co-champion on vault, bars, and balance beam with scores of 9.95 in each, and also tied for second on floor with another 9.95. She is just the fifth gymnast in league history to win four or more SEC titles in a single season and only the second ever for Alabama.

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She competed in the all-around in the last six meets of the season and won the last five of them. In only nine meets this season, Blanco has won a staggering 18 individual titles, including six on the balance beam.

With an all-around average of 39.646, Blanco leads the SEC by almost a full tenth of a point and is second highest in the nation. She also leads the SEC in balance beam average with a score of 9.925, which is good enough for third in the nation.

Also earning All-SEC honors along with Blanco were Shania Adams, Makarri Doggette, Lexi Graber, Shallon Olsen, and Kaylee Quinn, which gives the Crimson Tide six All-SEC honors on the season.

After a fantastic SEC season for Alabama Gymnastics, they now will look forward to hosting the NCAA regionals in Tuscaloosa. The first session Alabama will participate in will take place on April 2nd at 1 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum, and will begin on the balance beam along with Arkansas, Iowa, and Iowa State.