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University of Illinois Athletics

2023 Women's Gymnastics Roster

Julia Waight

  • Position All-Around
  • Height 5-0
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown Naperville, Ill.
  • High School Benet Academy
  • Instagram jules.w8

Biography

Career-High Scores 

Event Career-High Score
Vault 9.875 | at Big Five | 2/24/23
Floor Exercise

9.925 | vs. Ohio State, Kent State | 3/5/23


Collegiate Honors 

  • Three-time Academic (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • Voted Hardest Worker (2021)
  • Three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • Member of Chi Alpha Sigma and National Collegiate Honor Society

Senior - 2023

  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar 
  • Competed in all 13 meets, primarily on floor
  • Set a career-high on floor with a 9.925 against Ohio State, Kent State
  • Set a career-high 9.875 on vault at Big Five

Junior - 2022

  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar 
  • Competed in four meets on vault and floor

Sophomore - 2021

  • Academic All-Big Ten
  • Big Ten Distinguished Scholar 
  • Competed in 10 meets on vault
  • Recorded a career-high on vault with a score of 9.825

Freshman - 2020

  • Competed in six meets
  • Made her collegiate debut on vault at Missouri on Jan. 4
  • Set a season and career high with a 9.800 on bars against Michigan

High School/Club   

  • 2016 and 2019 Level 10 Junior Olympic National qualifier
  • Eighth in all-around, ninth on floor, and 10th on vault and beam at the 2019 Region 5 Level 10 Regionals
  • Fourth in all-around, fifth on beam and floor, and sixth on vault at the 2019 Illinois Level 10 States
  • Ninth on floor at the 2018 Region 5 Level 10 Regionals
  • First on bars, third in all-around, fourth on vault, and fifth on floor at the 2018 Illinois Level 10 States
  • Team champion at the 2016 Level 10 Junior Olympic Nationals
  • Seventh on bars, floor, and in all-around at the 2016 Region 5 Level 10 Regionals
  • Third on bars and fourth on vault at the 2016 Illinois Level 10 States  

Personal  

  • Born April 4, 2001
  • Parents are Bill and Lauren Waight
  • One sister, Lindsey
  • Sister, Lindsey was a cheerleader at University of Michigan, uncle, Brandon Ward played soccer at Indiana University 
  • Pursuing her bachelor's degree in Kinesiology 
  • Chose Illinois because, "Illinois is a Big Ten university with strong academics and great student resources, and our gymnastics team is one of the strongest in the nation!"

Historical Player Information

  • 2020Freshman

    All-Around
    5'0"
  • 2021Sophomore

    All-Around
    5'0"
  • 2022Junior

    All-Around
    5'0"
  • 2023Senior

    All-Around
    5'0"