Tkaczuk Named AAI Award Nominee

Two-time national uneven bars champion Baylee Tkaczuk of the UW-Oshkosh women's gymnastics team is among 32 collegiate nominees for the 2020 AAI Award, which is presented annually to the most outstanding senior female gymnast across all divisions in the country.

Created in 1991 by American Athletic, Inc., the AAI Award is considered by many as the Heisman Trophy in women's gymnastics. Head coaches were asked to submit a nomination for the candidate or candidates of their choice in January. Coaches will vote later this month to narrow the field of nominees to the top six athletes. A final vote will be held in March to determine the overall winner.

Tkaczuk, the lone Division III nominee, took first place on the uneven bars at the 2017 and 2018 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships. She also earned NCGA All-America honors on the balance beam in 2018 and on the uneven bars in 2019. Tkaczuk's winning score of 9.85 on the uneven bars in 2018 established a championship record.

Last March, Tkaczuk finished fourth on the uneven bars with a score of 9.625 and 18th on the balance beam with a count of 9.525 as UW-Oshkosh placed fourth at the NCGA Championship held in Kolf Sports Center.

Tkaczuk also helped UW-Oshkosh to a second-place finish at the 2019 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship by listing fifth on the balance beam and ninth on the uneven bars with scores of 9.625 and 9.45, respectively. In 2017, she won the balance beam competition at the WIAC Championship with a score of 9.675.

Tkaczuk has competed on both the balance beam and uneven bars during all six of UW-Oshkosh's meets this season. She recorded season-best scores of 9.70 on the balance beam at the Harley-Davidson Invitational held Feb. 7 and 9.75 on the uneven bars at the Texas Woman's University Quadrangular held Jan. 26. Tkaczuk currently ranks second in the NCGA this season on the uneven bars and 17th on the balance beam.

Tkaczuk came to UW-Oshkosh from Minooka High School in Illinois. While attending UW-Oshkosh she has compiled a 3.60 cumulative grade-point average as a psychology major. The three-time WIAC Scholastic Honor member was chosen to represent UW-Oshkosh this April in Madison at the annual Research in the Rotunda.

Tkaczuk has donated nearly 200 hours of patient care at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute. She has also volunteered with Special Olympics and Feeding America.

Louisiana State University's Sarah Finnegan was the winner of last year's AAI Award.

American Athletic, Inc. Website • 2020 AAI Award Preliminary Ballot