LOGAN, Utah – Five members of Utah State's 2017-18 gymnastics team received Scholastic All-America Awards from the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA).
 
Emily Briones, Maddie McIntyre, Kiera Miller, Taylor Dittmar and Leighton Varnadore were all honored by the WCGA for carrying a 3.5 or higher GPA during the school year. Those five Aggies were also part of 13 gymnasts who received Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference academic all-league honors earlier this summer.

"We are so thrilled with the efforts of this team academically," said USU head gymnastics coach Amy Smith. "We raised the bar this year in what our academic standards would be and we are so pleased with the outcome."
 
Briones, a junior majoring in communication studies, earned a 3.56 GPA in 2017-18. She was one of five Aggie gymnasts that qualified as an individual for the NCAA Regional Championships, where she recorded a 9.725 on beam to tie for 19th. The native of San Antonio, Texas, garnered second-team all-league accolades on beam after placing sixth with a 9.825 at the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Championships, where she also tied for 21st on floor with a 9.700.
 
McIntyre, who redshirted in her first season with the Aggies, posted a team-high 3.98 GPA while majoring in biology during the 2017-18 year.
 
Miller, a sophomore who has yet to compete at Utah State after overcoming an injury, earned a 3.83 GPA in 2017-18. The bio-engineering major carries a cumulative 3.92 GPA.
 
Dittmar, a freshman majoring in chemistry, earned a 3.76 GPA this past academic year. She qualified as an alternate on beam for the NCAA Regional Championships with a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 9.830 on the event. Dittmar competed as a beam specialist in all 12 meets and averaged 9.729 to rank 13th all-time in school history. At the MRGC Championships, the native of Lebanon, Ill., tied for seventh on beam with a 9.800. She recorded a personal-best 9.875 on the event at the BYU quad meet.
 
Varnadore, a freshman majoring in health education, earned a 3.59 GPA in 2017-18. The native of Aiken, S.C., tied for 18th on both bars (9.750) and floor (9.775), and tied for seventh on beam (9.800) at the MRGC Championships. She was one of just two Aggies to compete in the all-around on the season.
 
The WCGA was previously known as the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women.
 
Fans can follow the Aggie gymnastics program at twitter.com/USUGymnastics, on Facebook at Utah State Gymnastics, and on Instagram at USUGymnastics. Fans can also follow the USU athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at UtahStateAthletics.
 
-USU-