GEC Week 7 Awards

February 18th, 2026

Gymnast of the Week: Manama Fofana (Penn)

Sophomore Manama Fofana (Atlanta, Ga.) earned her third consecutive GEC Gymnast of the Week honor, continuing her dominant stretch in the Penn lineup. Fofana claimed a share of first place on floor with a 9.875, marking her third straight week with a first-place finish. Her floor score helped Penn post its highest team floor score of the season (49.200) as the Quakers remained undefeated in 2026. She also added strong performances on vault (9.775) and beam (9.825) in another standout three-event showing.

Specialist of the Week: Nova Staruk (Bridgeport)

Junior Nova Staruk (West Boylston, Mass.) delivered an outstanding performance at Southern Connecticut, earning her second GEC Specialist of the Week honor this season. Staruk tied her season high on vault with a 9.850 for first place after competing a powerful Kasamatsu layout full, marking Bridgeport’s highest score on any event in the meet. She also impressed on floor exercise, where her dynamic tumbling and new choreography earned a 9.800 and a second-place finish.

Newcomer of the Week: Annie Bilbe (Yale)

First-year Annie Bilbe (Covington, La.) earned her second consecutive and third overall GEC Newcomer of the Week honor this season after another strong showing in the anchor position for Yale on both vault and floor. Bilbe posted a 9.750 on vault to tie for fifth place and added a 9.800 on floor, tying for fourth. Her consistency and confidence in the anchor role continue to make her a reliable contributor to the Bulldogs’ lineups.