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University of Illinois Athletics

2016 Women's Gymnastics Roster

Giana O'Connor

  • Height 5-2
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown Streamwood, Ill.
  • High School Streamwood

Biography

Junior - 2015

  • Qualified individually for the NCAA Championships and finished sixth in the all-around with a 39.425
  • NCAA First-Team All-American in the all-around
  • NACGC/W Second-Team All-American in the all-around
  • First-Team All-Big Ten
  • Big Ten All-Championships Team
  • Turned in the best all-around score (39.425) by an Illini in NCAA Championship history and became just the second Illini to earn NCAA First-Team All-American in the all-around 
  • Tied the school-record all-around score (39.625) at the Masters Classic on March 1
  • Also posted the third (39.600) and ninth-best (39.525) all-around scores in program history
  • Turned in the third (9.95) and fifth-best (9.925) vault scores in program history 
  • Finished season ranked 10th in the all-around with an RQS of 39.470
  • Led the team in individual titles with a total of 16
  • Claimed at least one event title on every routine
  • Achieved career-highs on every routine including the all-around
  • Won the team’s Most Outstanding award
  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
  • Scholastic All-American 

Sophomore - 2014

  • Second-Team All-Big Ten for the second straight year
  • Was the lone Illini to compete in the all-around all season
  • Hit 51-of-56 routines, including all 14 on vault
  • Ranked 11th on floor in the Big Ten (T-42nd Nationally) with a 9.885 RQS and 12th in the all-around (T-45th Nationally) with a 39.175
  • Tied for 10th on vault at the NCAA Championships with a 9.85
  • Tied her career high of 9.9 four times on floor, including twice in the final five meets
  • Accomplished a career high 9.9 on beam on Feb. 23, tying the second highest Illini score on the year
  • Tied her career high on vault (9.85) five times, hit her career high of 9.85 on bars four times and set a new personal best in the all-around on March 8 with a 39.3
  • Won her first career floor title at Penn State on Feb. 15 and netted three all-around titles (first in career as well)
  • Came on strong at the end of the season, scoring a 39.1 or higher in four of the last five meets
  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Named to Dean's List in Spring 2014
  • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
  • Scholastic All-American

Freshman - 2013

  • Tied for 11th place in the all-around (39.1) in Session I at the NCAA Championships
  • Made the all-around podium at the Morgantown Regional, tying for sixth place with a 39.175
  • Set a career high of 9.9 on floor at the Big Ten Championships
  • In the same weekend, O'Connor set a new career high in the all-around (39.275) at Missouri, then hit that same mark two days later on Senior Day
  • Earned Second-Team All-Big Ten laurels
  • Second Illini ever to win Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice in a single season
  • Most Consistent Beam award winner
  • Competed in the all-around in all 14 meets, scoring at least a 39.1 in the last seven of eight
  • Captured two individual event titles, both on beam
  • Also set career highs of 9.85 on vault, 9.825 on bars and 9.85 on beam

High School/Club

  • Won first on bars in 2011 at State
  • Won first on floor, second on bars and the all-around and third on beam at State in 2010
  • Three-time National qualifier (2006, 2007, 2010)
  • Took third on beam at Nationals in 2010
  • Took third on floor at Nationals in 2007
  • Made A honor roll all four years and graduated in top ten percent of her class
  • Was awarded the Gold National Career Readiness Certificate
  • Competed for Gymkhana/GymNasti
  • Coached by Ron Nasti

Personal

  • Daughter of Gina and Mike O'Connor
  • has one sister Genna
  • Majoring in Recreation, Sport, & Tourism
  • Chose Illinois because, "It was close to home and has a great athletic program."

Career Highs

Vault: 9.950  (at Iowa, 2/14/15)
Bars: 9.925 (at Nebraska, 3/1/15)
Beam: 9.900 (2x, last at Nebraska, 3/1/15)
Floor: 9.925 (2x, last vs. Oklahoma, 2/27/15)
All-Around: 39.625 (at Nebraska, 3/1/15)

Individual Titles

Vault: 4 

Bars: 3

Beam: 2

Floor: 5

All-Around: 8

Total: 22   

Historical Player Information

  • 2013Freshman

    All-Around
    5'2"
  • 2014Sophomore

    All-Around
    5'2"
  • 2015Junior

    All-Around
    5'2"
  • 2016Senior

    All-Around
    5'2"