Ashleigh Gnat

Ashleigh Gnat
— Gymnast —
Full name Ashleigh Marie Gnat
Nickname(s) Bugs
Born (1994-11-13) November 13, 1994
Altamonte, Florida
Hometown Lake Mary, Florida[1]
Residence Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Height 152 cm (5 ft 0 in)
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
Level College
Club ACE Gymnastics
College team LSU Lady Tigers
Head coach(es) D-D Breaux
Assistant coach(es) Jay Clark
Former coach(es) Ray Gnat, Beth Martin, Jon Lee
Choreographer Ashleigh Clare-Kearney

Ashleigh Marie Gnat (born November 13, 1994 in Altamonte Springs, Florida) is an American collegiate gymnast. She represents the LSU Lady Tigers gymnastics team and has been a member since 2014.

Early life

Ashleigh Marie Gnat was born on November 13, 1994 in Altamonte Springs to parents, Ray and Joan (née Moore; formerly Rice) Gnat. Both of her parents former gymnasts themselves, her father was an All-American gymnast for the now defunct LSU Tigers men's gymnastics program[2] and her mother was a 1972 Olympian.[3][4] Ashleigh is the youngest of four children and is the only one of her siblings to have a different father as her other siblings' father is Bob Rice; a former Temple gymnast.[5][6] She has two brothers, Sean and Stephen, a film editor at Full Sail University.[7] Gnat's older sister, Jeana Rice-Healms (b. November 22, 1981) is a former Alabama Crimson Tide gymnast, who was the 2004 NCAA Champion.[8][9][10]

Gnat first started gymnastics in 1997; shortly after her parents finished completion on their new gymnastics facility in Longwood, Florida, ACE Gymnastics.[11][12] Although she comes from an established gymnastics family, Ashleigh has stated that she didn't feel any 'added pressure'. An immediate natural talent, she moved up to Level 9 by the time she was eleven and finished eighth at the 2007 Eastern Championships; placing higher than eventual 2012 Olympic champion, Gabby Douglas.[13]

Gymnastics career

2008–13: Level 10 career

Gnat moved up to Level 10 for the 2008 season, aged 13. She was second in the all-around at Regionals as well as taking the vault and bars titles.[14] She advanced to her first J.O. Nationals in Orlando, Florida and was nineteenth in the all-around.[15] A year later, Gnat was third all-around at States as well as being the vault and floor champion.[16] Later, at Regionals, Ashleigh took home silver medals in the all-around, on vault and on bars. She also won the floor competition.[17] In mid-May, Gnat participated in her second J.O. Nationals; finishing ninth in the all-around.[18] She tied for third on floor with three other gymnasts.[19]

Ashleigh qualified to the inaugural Nastia Liukin Cup in 2010.[20] She was twenty-first in the all-around at the event.[21] Later in the year, Gnat snatched both State and Regional all-around titles.[22][23] At her third J.O. Nationals, Gnat tied for seventh in the all-around.[24] In 2011, Gnat defended her Regional title in the all-around.[25] A disappointing J.O. National performance left her fifteenth in the all-around.[26] On January 9, 2012, Ashleigh verbally committed to the LSU Lady Tigers gymnastics team.[27] Gnat qualified to her second Nastia Liukin Cup in 2012.[28] At the event, Ashleigh placed twenty-second in the all-around.[29] Later, Gnat was the Florida State champion in the all-around as well as three events.[30] At Regionals, she was tied second in the all-around.[31] In May, Ashleigh was fifth at J.O. Nationals.[32] Later, on November 16, 2012, she signed the National Letter of Intent to the Tigers team.[33]

Ashleigh's final club competitive season was in 2013, turning out to be her best ever. At the Lady Luck Invitational in Las Vegas, she scored a perfect 10.000 score on vault, which secured her the ranking of No. 1 in the Nation on that event.[34] Her performance also secured her her third Nastia Liukin Cup qualification berth; a feat that has rarely been done.[35] At the Cup, she tied eighth in the all-around with 2012 winner, Charity Jones.[36] Gnat was Florida State champion in the all-around and on three events.[37] Later, at Regionals, Gnat took a clean sweep of all five titles, claiming victory with her highest ever score of 39.000; ranking as the No. 5 highest all-around score in the Nation for the entire 2013 season.[38][39] At her fifth and final J.O. Nationals, Gnat was second in the all-around.[40] In addition, she was the vault champion[41] and joint floor champion with Kullen Hlawek.[42] As a result, Gnat was named to the USA Gymnastics J.O. National team.[43]

2014–present: College career

2014 season: Freshman

Gnat saw action on vault, beam and floor during her Freshman season. During the championship season, at the SEC Championships, she contributed on vault and beam.[44]

Personal life

Gnat attended Lake Mary High School until graduation in 2013.[45] She is currently studying Sports Administration at Louisiana State University.

References

  1. ↑ "https://ericarath.wordpress.com/usa-gymnastics/". Retrieved 7 June 2016. External link in |title= (help)
  2. ↑ "About Us » Ace Gymnastics of Longwood, FL". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  3. ↑ "Biography: MOORE-Rice-Gnat, Joan". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  4. ↑ "Gymn Forum: Olympic Games Results". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  5. ↑ "Gymnast Magazine - October 1974". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  6. ↑ "http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/alab/sports/w-gym/auto_pdf/2004-media-guide-48-73.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 7 June 2016. External link in |title= (help)
  7. ↑ "Stephen Rice - LinkedIn". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  8. ↑ "USA Gymnastics Official Biography: Jeana Rice". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  9. ↑ "The Tuscaloosa News - Google News Archive Search". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  10. ↑ "Gymn Forum: 2004 Women's NCAA Championships". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  11. ↑ Gray, David. "Gymnast brings family's prestige back to LSU". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  12. ↑ "Gnat, Ashleigh - Nastia Liukin Cup". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  13. ↑ "https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/Women/2007/07%20Easterns/L9-JrA-S1.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 7 June 2016. External link in |title= (help)
  14. ↑ "GymDivas.Us - Online Resource for Gymnasts in the United States". 24 September 2013. Archived from the original on September 24, 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  15. ↑ "JO National Championships 2008 - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  16. ↑ "2009 Florida Level 8/9/10 State Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  17. ↑ "2009 Level 9 & 10 Region 8 Regionals - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  18. ↑ "2009 Junior Olympic National Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  19. ↑ "2009 Junior Olympic National Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  20. ↑ "Seven more gymnasts qualify for Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  21. ↑ "https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/w_10nlsc_030510.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 7 June 2016. External link in |title= (help)
  22. ↑ "2010 Florida Level 8, 9, 10 State Meet - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  23. ↑ "2010 Region 8 Level 9, 10 Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  24. ↑ "2010 Women's J.O. Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  25. ↑ "2011 Region 8 Level 9 - 10 Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  26. ↑ "2011 U.S. Women's Junior Olympic National Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  27. ↑ "2013-2014: Gnat to LSU - CollegeGymFans.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  28. ↑ "Final gymnasts qualify for 2012 Nastia Liukin Cup". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  29. ↑ "https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/w_12nlc_final.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 7 June 2016. External link in |title= (help)
  30. ↑ "2012 Florida Prep Optional, Level 9-10 State Meet - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  31. ↑ "2012 Region 8 Level 9, 10 Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  32. ↑ "2012 Womens JO National Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  33. ↑ "LSU Gymnastics Signs Two in Fall Period". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  34. ↑ "America's Top 100 Level 10 Vault Scores - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  35. ↑ "Jones set to defend title at 2013 Nastia Liukin Cup". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  36. ↑ "https://usagym.org/PDFs/Results/w_13nlc_final.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 7 June 2016. External link in |title= (help)
  37. ↑ "2013 Florida Level Xcel, 9 , 10 State Championship - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  38. ↑ "America's Top 100 Level 10 All Around Scores - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  39. ↑ "2013 Region 8 Level 9, 10 Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  40. ↑ "2013 Level 10 J.O. National Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  41. ↑ "2013 Level 10 J.O. National Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  42. ↑ "2013 Level 10 J.O. National Championships - MyMeetScores.com". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  43. ↑ "USA Gymnastics - Women's Past Junior Olympic National Teams". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  44. ↑ "http://www.lsusports.net/pdf9/2663123.pdf?ATCLID=209441774&SPSID=27855&SPID=2171&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=5200" (PDF). Retrieved 7 June 2016. External link in |title= (help)
  45. ↑ "Ashleigh Gnat Bio". Retrieved 7 June 2016.
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