2022 Gymnastics Senior Tribute
3/2/2022
On Friday, Rutgers gymnastics will honor graduate Belle Huang and seniors Mia Betancourt, Kiera Doherty-Herwitz, Abigail Karolewski and Sage Littlejohn in a Senior Knight ceremony. Together, the group has continued to raise the program to new heights during their time “On the Banks, rewriting the record books year-after-year.
This group of seniors has led Rutgers to a number of Top 10 team totals, including its highest road score in program history marking the third highest program score overall. They have helped set new program standards for the team vault score, and second-best floor and beam scores, among other top 10 event totals. The group has also added a number of firsts and historic wins – first conference win over Nebraska, first win over an SEC team, highest ranked win over No. 15 Auburn to name a few.
In the classroom, they have a collective resume of Scholastic All-American, Academic All-Big Ten, and Big Ten Distinguished Scholar accolades. Ahead of their final home meet at Jersey Mike's Arena, the Scarlet Knights reflect on their collegiate careers here at Rutgers.
MIA BETANCOURT
Hometown: Reading, Pennsylvania
Major: Labor Studies
Minor: Education as a Social Science
What will you miss the most?
What I will miss the most about Rutgers is being a part of a team that allows me to be my true self. The culture of this team makes leaving so hard. I’ve never felt the amount of support from a group of creative and intelligent young women that I have experienced during my time here
What is your favorite Rutgers memory?
My favorite Rutgers memory was beating Auburn. Even though I was injured at the time I felt an immense amount of pride to be a part of a team that rises to any occasion.
What are your plans following graduation?
After graduation, I plan on traveling with my family. I also am planning on learning how to properly and successfully run a club gymnastics gym and seeing what opportunities my time at Rutgers will open up for me. I’m excited to see what my future holds for me.
What has Rutgers Gymnastics taught you that you will carry through life?
Being a part of Rutgers gymnastics under the guidance of Umme, Tasia and Mike I have learned that I am capable of much more than I’ve ever expected. I've been blessed to see how a strong woman can lead a team. I plan on using tactics Umme, Mike and Tasia have used to provide inspiration and guidance to the next generation of gymnasts and hopefully run my own business as a powerful woman.
Who would you like to thank?
I would like to first thank the Lord for blessing me with the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself. Without my faith, I would be lost. I would also like to thank my parents, brother, and family for supporting me throughout my gymnastics career.
I would like to send a special shoutout to my mom who is not only my biggest supporter but also my best friend. I am lucky to have a mom who cares so deeply and wishes nothing but success for me. She has helped me become the best version of myself and has allowed me to experience life with her guidance.
I’d also like to thank Umme, Mike and Tasia for always believing in me. They have helped me grow as a gymnast and individual. I couldn’t be more thankful for my three coaches.
Lastly, I would like to thank my team. To the 29 sisters that make up Rutgers gymnastics, I can not thank you enough for being the people you are. You all have a special role on our team and I thank god every day that I got to know each and every one of you. You will forever be my family. I love you guys so much.
KIERA DOHERTY-HERWITZ
Hometown: Bedford, Massachusetts
Major: Exercise Science
Minor: Psychology
What will you miss the most?
What I will most miss is traveling with the team, and all of the team activities we did. It was always such a fun bonding experience to be stuck on the bus for 8 or so hours because we kind of had to find things to do. We always made the most of it.
What is your favorite Rutgers memory?
My favorite memory has to be the first time we beat Penn State. We all worked so incredibly hard and the energy in the RAC [now Jersey Mike's Arena] that night was tangible. As soon as we all realized, the stadium exploded. That was such a fun night.
What are your plans following graduation?
I completed my B.S. in exercise science with a minor in psychology. I will be attending a doctoral Physical Therapy program.
What has Rutgers Gymnastics taught you that you will carry through life?
I learned so many things being a part of the team. One of the most important lessons I learned was that you aren’t always in control of whether you have a good day or a bad day, but you are in control of how much effort you put forth. And as long as you are putting maximum effort into what you’re doing, you get to walk away proud of yourself.
Who would you like to thank?
There are so many people to thank, my mom for believing in me and pushing me to choose Rutgers right from the beginning. She always knew I had the Big Ten energy. I want to thank the coaching staff for believing in the team even if we didn’t always see what they did, and for always supporting and believing in me and my goals. Lastly, I want to thank my teammates, they were part of what made my time at Rutgers so special. Every year we get new girls and lose a few, but I always felt like I was surrounded by family.
BELLE HUANG
Hometown: Gaithersburg, Maryland
Major: Master's Microbial Biology
What will you miss the most?
I will miss the excitement and satisfaction I get from myself and my teammates when I nail a routine. I’ll also miss traveling and the memories made during travel trips. But what made those travel meet moments so special and memorable were the love and family vibes that this team radiated, and that is what I will miss the most.
What is your favorite Rutgers memory?
My favorite memory was beating Auburn at UNH. Finishing on beam as our last event and seeing each person in the lineup stick helped build up the anticipation. When we got towards the end of the lineup, there were a lot of excited whispers in between routines and lots of cheering during routines. When the final scores were posted, we were all so ecstatic to see that we had beat Auburn. Then as we were waiting for the awards to start, we had a dance battle around the floor with the opposing teams. It was just a fun time all around.
What are your plans following graduation?
I plan to apply and attend a graduate school and become a PA (Physician Associates).
What has Rutgers Gymnastics taught you that you will carry through life?
Rutgers gymnastics has taught me the value of teamwork. I’ve learned what it’s like to be on a team and to be a team player. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have gotten to know my teammates and the various ways they like to be supported.
Who would you like to thank?
I’d like to thank my mom for everything she has done and the endless love and support. I’d also like to thank my boyfriend for the support and encouragement he’s given me. Thank you to Umme, Tasia, and Mike for shaping me into the athlete I am today, as well as the person I am today. Lastly, I’d like to thank my teammates for always being there for me through my ups and downs.
ABIGAIL KAROLEWSKI
Hometown: Hillsborough, New Jersey
Major: Journalism and Media Studies
Minor: Creative Writing
What will you miss the most?
There are a lot of things that I will miss about Rutgers. First and foremost, I will miss the coaches and everybody on the team so much. We have such an amazing culture and always have a fun time together. I will miss all the memories that we have made while traveling and competing. I will also miss Rutgers as a whole. I have loved all the classes that I’ve taken and all of the people that I’ve met here. I’ve made memories here that will last me a lifetime.
What is your favorite Rutgers memory?
My favorite Rutgers memory is the meet that we won versus Auburn at University of New Hampshire. That day, everybody was super focused and we had great energy. We were really able to trust in each other and we had such a fun time competing. It was also a really great accomplishment for us to be able to beat Auburn. It really showed us what we are capable of because we are a very strong team and it really showed that day. I competed well that day too and had such a great time with my teammates and coaches.
What are your plans following graduation?
Following graduation I definitely plan on going to grad school. I am still looking into which programs I am interested in, but that is definitely the route I want to go. During my free time I want to be able to travel and potentially even see my family over in Europe, specifically Spain.
What has Rutgers Gymnastics taught you that you will carry through life?
Rutgers gymnastics has taught me that hard work always pays off and will bring you success in the end. I also learned a lot about teamwork and how to work best in a team environment. I have really learned to believe in myself and to trust in my abilities throughout the 4 years I have been here.
Who would you like to thank?
I would like to thank my mom, dad, brother, and sister for supporting me throughout my whole gymnastics career. If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be where I am today. I would also like to thank my club coaches for guiding me through gymnastics for so many years. Lastly, I would like to thank the team along with Umme, Tasia, and Mike for giving me the most amazing experience here and for helping me grow as a gymnast these past four years.
SAGE LITTLEJOHN
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Major: Journalism and Media Studies
What will you miss the most?
I will miss my teammates the most. They have become an extended family. I have gained over 30 sisters during my four years here and I will miss having that support system around me all the time.
What is your favorite Rutgers memory?
My favorite memory was when we beat Auburn my sophomore year. Our last event was beam and everyone hit their routines and stuck their dismount. You could just feel the energy building as each routine went on. It was such a big moment for the team.
What are your plans following graduation?
I plan to spend a year getting internships and gaining experience in the film industry before applying to graduate school.
What has Rutgers Gymnastics taught you that you will carry through life?
Being at Rutgers has taught me that having a positive mindset and speaking things into existence can carry you far and that you can get what you want by knowing that you can achieve it.
Who would you like to thank?
I would like to thank my parents for helping me get here as well as my siblings for supporting me throughout the whole journey. I would like to thank my coaches for believing in me and bringing me onto such an amazing team.
