GEC Week 5 Awards

February 4th, 2026

Gymnast of the Week: Manama Fofana (Penn)

Sophomore Manama Fofana (Atlanta, Ga.) delivered a dominant performance against Bridgeport, claiming three first-place finishes and breaking her personal career-high with a 9.875. Fofana also earned wins on vault (9.825) and beam (9.775, tie), with all three scores marking season bests. Her performances helped lead the Quakers to an impressive 4–0 start, the first in program history.

Specialist of the Week: Mikayla Burton (Cornell)

Senior Mikayla Burton (Newnan, Ga.) delivered a standout performance on beam at a quad meet at West Virginia with Pitt, and Kent State on Jan. 31, earning first place with a near perfect 9.900. After missing much of the fall semester unexpectedly, Burton worked her way back into competition and rose to the occasion, turning in one of the best beam routines of her career against strong ACC, Big 12, and MAC competition.

Newcomer of the Week: Gianna Smith (WCU)

First-year Gianna Smith (Pittsburgh, Pa.) earns her second consecutive GEC Newcomer of the Week award after another spectacular performance for the Golden Rams, continuing to show impressive growth and confidence each week. Smith posted a career-high 9.825 on uneven bars to earn the event win and followed it up with a career-high 9.750 on floor exercise, securing a second event victory. She capped off the meet with a career-best 38.650 in the all-around, edging past last weekend’s mark and further establishing herself as a key contributor in the lineup.