Conference Carolinas Unveils 2023 Acrobatics & Tumbling All-Conference Honors
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Conference Carolinas unveiled its 2023 acrobatics & tumbling all-conference honors ahead of the 2023 Conference Carolinas Acrobatics & Tumbling Championship semifinals on Saturday, April 15.
The 2023 all-conference awards were chosen by the league's head coaches.
Limestones’s Kacie Kier was selected as the Athlete of the Year after an impressive regular season. The April 4 Conference Carolinas Athlete of the Week is a base, top and tumbler that competes in eight heats per meet and the team event. The National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association (NCATA) Athlete of the Week in the first week of the season, the freshman transfer from Elgin, South Carolina posted a perfect 10/10 in the open pyramid twice this season and had a season-high 9.9/10 in the compulsory toss heat.
A junior from Independence, Missouri, Erena Chaples of Belmont Abbey was chosen as the Specialist of the Year. A pyramid specialist for the Crusaders, Chaples competes in the hand-in-hand pyramid in heat one and the straddle bridge pyramid in heat two. She averaged a 9.643 out of 9.9 in pyramid heat one this season. Chaples also received NCATA Specialist of the Week Honorable Mention honors in week four.
A freshman from Kyle, Texas, Gracie Grady of Belmont Abbey was selected as the Freshman of the Year. A base, Grady competes in seven heats and the team event each meet. The Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Month in February, Grady was named NCATA Freshman of the Week Honorable Mention for the fourth and fifth weeks of the season.
Fifth-year head coach Emily Powers of Belmont Abbey was chosen as the Coach of the Year in Conference Carolinas. Powers led the Crusaders to a runner-up regular season finish with a 7-1 league mark and an 8-2 record overall. Picked to finish third in the preseason, The Abbey is the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Conference Carolinas championship.
2023 Conference Carolinas Acrobatics & Tumbling All-Conference
Athlete of the Year
Kacie Kier, Limestone
Specialist of the Year
Erena Chaples, Belmont Abbey
Freshman of the Year
Gracie Grady, Belmont Abbey
Coach of the Year
Emily Powers, Belmont Abbey
First Team All-Conference
Cameron King, Limestone
Genesis Carson, Limestone
Gracie Grady, Belmont Abbey
Kathryn Coker, Limestone
Kacie Kier, Limestone
Bridget Sweeney, King
Madison McAfee, Coker
Acacia Johnson, Limestone
Alexis Wynn, King
Ayanna Manning, Converse
Amiya Shazier, Belmont Abbey
Amber Garcia, Coker
Jessica Holder, Converse
Rosemary Sponable, Lander
Paula Urquidi, Coker
Ceanna Brown, Converse
Second Team All-Conference
Chloe Cleland, Converse
Kharissa Norvell, King
Anna Davis, Belmont Abbey
Lelia Brozowski, Coker
Ryann Swope, Lander
Erena Chaples, Belmont Abbey
Nia Jackson, Converse
Isabelle Cunningham, Emmanuel
Lauren Pipes, Belmont Abbey
Chloe Hull, Coker
Noa Ortiz, Converse
Christina Bapple, Emmanuel
Morgan Bramble, Limestone
Emilee-Clarie Carter, Converse
Kayla Young, Coker
Sarena Michnick, Emmanuel