Lexy Ramler wins 2021 AAI Award
Minnesota senior Lexy Ramler is the winner of the 2021 AAI Award, American Athletic, Inc. (AAI) announced Wednesday.
Ramler has been a consistent all-arounder for the Gophers since her freshman year, with career highs of 10.000 on vault, 9.975 on bars, 10.000 on beam, 9.950 on floor, and 39.850 in the all-around.
The two-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Year (2019, 2021) competed all four events for Minnesota at every meet this season, went 52-of-52 on hits, and earned two perfect 10s on vault and beam.
Prior to winning the AAI award, Ramler was named a WCGA All-American on vault (2nd team), bars (2nd team), beam (1st team), and in the all-around (2nd team) for her performance at nationals this past weekend.
The six finalists for the 2021 award were Alyssa Baumann (Florida), Lynnzee Brown (Denver), Nia Dennis (UCLA), Kyana George (Cal), Lexy Ramler (Minnesota), and Anastasia Webb (Oklahoma).
Thirty female athletes were nominated for this year’s award, which is presented to the most outstanding collegiate senior female gymnast in the country. AAI has been awarding this honor for over 30 years.
NCAA head coaches are asked to submit a nomination for the candidate or candidates of their choice. After the initial nominations, the field is narrowed to the top 6 athletes. A final vote is then cast to determine the overall winner.
Last year’s finalists included Kennedi Edney (LSU), Taylor Houchin (Nebraska), Mollie Korth (Kentucky), Maddie Karr (Denver), Maggie Nichols (Oklahoma), and Kyla Ross (UCLA), with Nichols ultimately being named the 2020 AAI Award Winner.
This year, Minnesota and Florida led the nominations with two apiece, including the Golden Gophers’ Ona Loper and Ramler and the Gators’ Baumann and Megan Skaggs.
See below for this year’s list of nominees in alphabetical order and the full announcement video.
2021 AAI Award Nominees
- Audrey Barber – Maryland
- Alyssa Baumann – Florida
- Cortney Bezold – Eastern Michigan
- Nicole Biondi – Illinois
- Lynnzee Brown – Denver
- Kyla Bryant – Stanford
- Sophia Carter – Arkansas
- Nia Dennis – UCLA
- Sami Durante – LSU
- Tori Edwards – Temple
- Lauren Farley – Michigan
- Kyana George – Cal
- Lexi Graber – Alabama
- Belle Huang – Rutgers
- Clair Kaji – Iowa
- Cairo Leonard-Baker – Arizona State
- Ona Loper – Minnesota
- Mia Lord – NIU
- Andrea Maldonado – Iowa State
- Abbey Miner-Alder – BYU
- Lea Mitchell – Michigan State
- Emily Muhlenhaupt – Boise State
- Marissa Oakley – Georgia
- Lexy Ramler – Minnesota
- Megan Skaggs – Florida
- Sydney Soloski – Utah
- Jenna Swartzentruber – Ohio State
- Meredith Sylvia – Auburn
- Ava Verdeflor – Penn State
- Anastasia Webb – Oklahoma
