With gymnastics earning fifth place in the Gymnastics East Conference preseason rankings, the Red are setting their sights on achieving great things this season.
At the opening Rumble and Tumble tournament in Ithaca, Cornell earned a score of 193.150, second only to Yale at 193.700. Along with that, the Red placed second at the Sacramento State tri-meet on Jan. 18.
With nearly a quarter of the team being composed of freshmen, this blend of new energy and expectations has sparked anticipation and high hopes for the season.
The Sun spoke to these new athletes as the season begins to uncover their motivations, goals and excitement surrounding the season.
Anne MacKenzie
Anne MacKenzie ’28 is a Design and Environmental Analysis major in the College of Human Ecology. MacKenzie is from Mountain View, California and has been a gymnast for 14 years. Her main events are typically uneven bars and beam. She was a six-time Northern California State Champion.
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MacKenzie says that she is grateful to be a member of a welcoming and talented team. Her ambition is to contribute to the team by creating a positive environment during practices and at meets.
“We already have such a positive team, so my goal is to be super confident in my gymnastics and see that spread across the entire team,” MacKenzie said.
MacKenzie is also excited to compete with her older sister, Laura MacKenzie ’25, this year.
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“Going to the same school together and working on our gymnastics together has been an incredible experience,” MacKenzie said.
Sarah Goetter
Sarah Goetter ’28 is from Scranton, Pennsylvania and studies Human Biology and Society in the College of Human Ecology. Before Cornell, Goetter was a Level 10 National Qualifier on uneven bars and vaults as a part of the United Sports Academy. She has been a gymnast for ten years, and her main goal is to get healthy and stay healthy.
Although Goetter is dealing with an injury right now, she says her presence in the team is important to her.
“For me, I love hanging out with the girls on the team, going to the gymnastics house and getting to know everyone,” Goetter said. “Making these connections as a team now will help us during the season.”
Prior to her injury, Goetter participated in the Rumble and Tumble competition and earned a score of 9.650 for the Red with her debut.
Once Goetter is healthy again, she is excited to contribute her gymnastics abilities to the team and help the team perform better — whether she is a part of the lineup or not.
Taylor Gomez
Taylor Gomez ’28 hails from Hinsdale, Illinois and is undecided in the College of Arts & Sciences. In 2021, Gomez won the Illinois State Beam Championship. Although Gomez is sidelined right now due to an injury, she says she is excited to contribute her energy, support and approximately 14 years of experience to the team.
“Right now I am focused on the basics and ultimately getting back [in] shape. Working with all my coaches and teammates has been great for my progress,” Gomez said.
Gomez’s goal for this season is to maintain a positive attitude and strive to be the best gymnast and student she can be.
“It is always a goal of mine to improve everyday whether that be socially, mentally or academically,” Gomez said.
Dahlia Jhaveri
Dahlia Jhaveri ’28 is from Huntington, New York and is enrolled in the College of Arts & Sciences as a Biological Sciences major. In her first competition for the Red, Jhaveri earned 9.600 points on the uneven bars.
Jhaveri focuses on working with the team and assisting in any way she can.
“I think all of us freshmen are integrating to the team and getting to know peoples’ strengths [for] whenever we can contribute and help,” Jhaveri said.
Before Cornell, Jhaveri was a three-time Level 10 Junior Olympic National qualifier, as well as a runner-up for the 2023 and 2024 Region 6 Championships on uneven bars.
Jhaveri loved how “well-rounded” Cornell was when she visited prior to committing. She felt that the team dynamic between the coaches and athletes was like no other school she visited, and she is ready for the opportunity to be a part of such a “strong [and] committed” team.
Ava Schenck-Davis
Ava Schenck-Davis ’28 is enrolled in the College of Human Ecology as a Human Biology, Health and Society major. Schenck-Davis hails from Burlington, Massachusetts and committed to Cornell because of the incredible academic and post-graduate opportunities she looks forward to taking advantage of.
Schenck-Davis highlighted the welcoming environment of the team and how the team clicks together in and out of the gym which is critical to their success as all college-level sports incorporate weightlifting into their training regimes, something rare to see at the high school or club level.
“The weightlifting aspect is something that you do not see in club gymnastics … the coaches work with each athlete individually and create a plan that accommodates your goals,” Schenck-Davis said.
As the 2024 Middlesex League uneven bars, floor, vault and all-around champion, Schenck-Davis brings something for the Red at each event.
She is most excited about working with her new coaches and teammates as she trains for all four events and settles in.
Nora Sherman
Nora Sherman ’28 has been competing in gymnastics for 11 years. Sherman was a Level 10 national qualifier and a regional qualifier for three straight seasons prior. The Elmhurst, Illinois native is considering majoring in Biology and Society through the College of Arts & Sciences.
Sherman was attracted to Cornell because of its “positive [and] strong community.” She enjoys working with the upperclassmen and contributing to her favorite event — floor. She was awarded 9.400 points in her first event with the Red.
Sherman believes that all of the freshmen can contribute to the team whether or not they are healthy and that, together, the team has a lot of potential to perform well this season.
“It is quality over quantity at the college level, which is something I really appreciate,” Sherman said.
The Red will compete against the University of Pennsylvania in Ithaca on Feb. 2nd. The competition will be streamed on ESPN+.