Photo by: Rich Graessle
Huang Named 2022 AAI Award Nominee for Second Straight Year
Mar 01 | Women's Gymnastics
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Graduate Belle Huang of Rutgers gymnastics was named a nominee for the 2022 American Athletic, Inc. (AAI) Award. The AAI Award is presented to the most outstanding collegiate senior female gymnast in the country, widely considered the Heisman Trophy of women's gymnastics.
Belle Huang, a 2021 AAI Award and NCAA Woman of the Year nominee, continues her storied career as a Scarlet Knight in 2022. To date, Huang has competed in 57 meets "On the Banks" for Rutgers. The team captain owns personal-best marks of 9.975 on floor, 9.925 on beam, and 9.900 on vault, all of which rank among the top three highest scores of Rutgers individual event records. As of January 2022, Huang owns a total of 21 career 9.9s, including a program-high 13 scores of 9.9 or higher on floor.
This season, Huang has aided Rutgers in posting four top 10 scores in program history, highlighted by the fifth-best total with a season-high 195.950. The captain has also contributed to top 10 team event scores, including a program-record vault score of 49.275. Guided by Huang, the team recorded its highest total at a Big Ten meet since joining the league, recording a 195.475 this past February.
Huang, a 2021 First Team All-Big Ten and All-Championship Team honoree, qualified for her third NCAA Regional last season. The senior first punched her ticket as an all-arounder in 2018 and on floor in 2019. At the 2021 Big Ten Championships, Huang placed third on beam and fourth in all-around, recording a 9.9 on beam and a career-high 39.350 in the all-around. She finished first on floor and beam in RU's Session I win at the Championships, while finishing second in all-around in the session and being named to the All-Championship team. Her performance lifted Rutgers to its highest team finish ever at the conference championships, recording its highest mark at the championship as well with a 195.675.
In addition to a record-setting Big Ten Championships in 2021, Rutgers posted the highest road score (195.975), the second highest beam score (49.275), the third best team score (195.975) ever, the fourth best home and ninth best overall score (195.525) in program history in 2021. Huang and the Scarlet Knights also recorded the program's first ever conference victory over Nebraska during that regular season.
A two-time All-Big Ten selection and three-time NCAA qualifier, Huang graduated with a bachelor's in Biological Sciences and is now working towards her master's degree in Microbial Biology. In the classroom, she has earned four WCGA Scholastic All-America, three Academic All-Big Ten, and three Big Ten Distinguished Scholar accolades. She was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the national the National College Athlete Honor Society, in fall of 2020.
Outside of her career as a Division I gymnast, Huang began a career in judging youth gymnastics meets. As of January 2020, Huang is qualified to judge level 10 gymnastics, having earned the qualification in summer of 2020.
CAREER ACCOLADES
2022 Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week (Feb. 8)
2022 Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week (Jan. 25)
2022 Team Captain
2021 AAI Award Nominee
2021 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee
2021 WCGA Scholastic All-America
2021 NCAA Regional Individual Qualifier (All-Around)
2021 Big Ten All-Championship Team
2021 First Team All-Big Ten
2021 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
2021 Academic All-Big Ten
2021 Big Ten Gymnast to Watch
2021 Team Captain
2020 WCGA Scholastic All-America
2020 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
2020 Academic All-Big Ten
2019 NCAA Regional Individual Qualifier (Floor Exercise)
2019 All-Big Ten - Second Team
2019 WCGA Scholastic All-America
2019 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
2019 Academic All-Big Ten
2019 Big Ten Gymnast to Watch
2018 NCAA Regional Individual Qualifier (All-Around)
2018 NACGC/W Scholastic All-America
CAREER BESTS
Vault: 9.900
Uneven Bars: 9.800
Balance Beam: 9.925
Floor Exercise: 9.975
All-Around: 39.350
Follow Rutgers gymnastics on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Download the Scarlet Knights App for Apple or Android today.
Belle Huang, a 2021 AAI Award and NCAA Woman of the Year nominee, continues her storied career as a Scarlet Knight in 2022. To date, Huang has competed in 57 meets "On the Banks" for Rutgers. The team captain owns personal-best marks of 9.975 on floor, 9.925 on beam, and 9.900 on vault, all of which rank among the top three highest scores of Rutgers individual event records. As of January 2022, Huang owns a total of 21 career 9.9s, including a program-high 13 scores of 9.9 or higher on floor.
This season, Huang has aided Rutgers in posting four top 10 scores in program history, highlighted by the fifth-best total with a season-high 195.950. The captain has also contributed to top 10 team event scores, including a program-record vault score of 49.275. Guided by Huang, the team recorded its highest total at a Big Ten meet since joining the league, recording a 195.475 this past February.
Huang, a 2021 First Team All-Big Ten and All-Championship Team honoree, qualified for her third NCAA Regional last season. The senior first punched her ticket as an all-arounder in 2018 and on floor in 2019. At the 2021 Big Ten Championships, Huang placed third on beam and fourth in all-around, recording a 9.9 on beam and a career-high 39.350 in the all-around. She finished first on floor and beam in RU's Session I win at the Championships, while finishing second in all-around in the session and being named to the All-Championship team. Her performance lifted Rutgers to its highest team finish ever at the conference championships, recording its highest mark at the championship as well with a 195.675.
In addition to a record-setting Big Ten Championships in 2021, Rutgers posted the highest road score (195.975), the second highest beam score (49.275), the third best team score (195.975) ever, the fourth best home and ninth best overall score (195.525) in program history in 2021. Huang and the Scarlet Knights also recorded the program's first ever conference victory over Nebraska during that regular season.
A two-time All-Big Ten selection and three-time NCAA qualifier, Huang graduated with a bachelor's in Biological Sciences and is now working towards her master's degree in Microbial Biology. In the classroom, she has earned four WCGA Scholastic All-America, three Academic All-Big Ten, and three Big Ten Distinguished Scholar accolades. She was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the national the National College Athlete Honor Society, in fall of 2020.
Outside of her career as a Division I gymnast, Huang began a career in judging youth gymnastics meets. As of January 2020, Huang is qualified to judge level 10 gymnastics, having earned the qualification in summer of 2020.
CAREER ACCOLADES
2022 Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week (Feb. 8)
2022 Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week (Jan. 25)
2022 Team Captain
2021 AAI Award Nominee
2021 NCAA Woman of the Year Nominee
2021 WCGA Scholastic All-America
2021 NCAA Regional Individual Qualifier (All-Around)
2021 Big Ten All-Championship Team
2021 First Team All-Big Ten
2021 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
2021 Academic All-Big Ten
2021 Big Ten Gymnast to Watch
2021 Team Captain
2020 WCGA Scholastic All-America
2020 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
2020 Academic All-Big Ten
2019 NCAA Regional Individual Qualifier (Floor Exercise)
2019 All-Big Ten - Second Team
2019 WCGA Scholastic All-America
2019 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
2019 Academic All-Big Ten
2019 Big Ten Gymnast to Watch
2018 NCAA Regional Individual Qualifier (All-Around)
2018 NACGC/W Scholastic All-America
CAREER BESTS
Vault: 9.900
Uneven Bars: 9.800
Balance Beam: 9.925
Floor Exercise: 9.975
All-Around: 39.350
Follow Rutgers gymnastics on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Download the Scarlet Knights App for Apple or Android today.
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