Results
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Illinois standout Chloe Cho was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, the conference announced at the Big Ten Championships. Cho led the Illini to a sixth-place finish after scoring a 196.500 in Session II of the competition.
"Chloe was near flawless today, and all season long," said head coach Nadalie Walsh. "Being awarded the Big Ten Freshman of the Year title is the most amazing cherry on top of an already stellar freshman season. Chloe has performed beautiful, consistent, and undeniable gymnastics all year long. I am so honored to coach such a wonderful young woman and to see her become the top representative of the freshmen class in all of the Big Ten."
Cho becomes just the third Illini in program history to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, behind Ashley Williams (2002) and Allison Buckley (2008). The Simi Valley, Calif., native has been unstoppable for the Illini, earning seventeen titles over the course of the season (four vault, two uneven bars, three balance beam, three floor exercise, and five all-around). She was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on four occasions (Jan. 21, Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 18) and in turn, garnered All-Freshman Team and First-Team All-Big Ten honors.Â
Cho was one of just two freshman to receive first-team honors this season, accompanied by Iowa's Aurélie Tran. Cho currently ranks in the top 100 on every apparatus and is in the top 40 nationally in the all-around; a feat no other Big Ten All-Freshman team member has accomplished this year. She is the first Illinois freshman to garner first-team honors since Mia Takekawa in 2020, and just the seventh in Illinois program history, joining Denise Lamborn (1987), Peggy Pullman (1990), Williams (2002), Nicole Cowart (2007), Buckley (2008), and Takekawa (2020).
The Championships
The Illini participated in Session II of the 2025 Big Ten Championships alongside Iowa, Maryland, and Penn State, and started the day on bars.
It was senior captain Makayla Green who led the way for the Orange and Blue, tying her career-high 9.925. The score would land her in sixth place overall in the competition. Chloe Cho and Amelia Knight followed suit with 9.850s and Arielle Ward made her return to the lineup with a 9.800. The group earned their second-best bars score of the season, a 49.150.
Moving over to beam, Cho led the Illini scorers with a 9.900. Ruthuja Nataraj earned a 9.875, and three Illini–Knight, Eden King, and Olivia Coppola–tallied 9.850s. The team earned their best score of the year on the apparatus, a 49.325.
In the third rotation, it was again Cho who led the way for the Illini, scoring a 9.875. Emmalise Nock earned a 9.825, and Kennedy Brown, Coppola, and King each tallied a 9.800.
The Illini closed out Session II on vault, where Coppola led off with a stick for a 9.775. Cho followed up with another stick for a 9.850, the highest Illini score, and King earned a 9.825.
Cho finished seventh overall in the all-around competition with a score of 39.475.
"This team went out there today with their minds made up that they would not leave the 2025 Big Ten Championships disappointed," head coach Nadalie Walsh said. "Today was a full group effort, and the team showed more heart than anyone else in the arena. I am beyond proud of their confidence, routines and togetherness. They are hungry to improve even more during NCAAs and cannot wait to represent Illinois at regionals for the 21st year in a row."
Team Scores
- UCLA - 198.450
- Michigan State - 198.150
- Minnesota - 197.425
- Michigan - 197.325
- Iowa - 196.775
- Illinois - 196.500
- Ohio State - 196.250
- Rutgers - 196.225
- Nebraska - 196.175
- Washington - 196.125
- Penn State - 196.050
- Maryland - 195.700
Big Ten Awards
Freshman of the Year - Chloe Cho, Illinois
Specialist of the Year - Sage Kellerman, Michigan State
Gymnast of the Year - Nikki Smith, Michigan State
Coach of the Year - Janelle McDonald, UCLA
Career Highs
Makayla Green - Uneven Bars (9.925)
Eden King - Balance Beam (9.850)
