Tumblers' Tales: Building Lasting Legacies

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Three West Virginia University gymnasts will make their curtain calls at the WVU Coliseum this evening: Melissa Idell, Jaida Lawrence and Audrey Tolbert.

Though the gymnasts come from diverse backgrounds and took different paths to their WVU destinies, one fact binds them forever – their lasting Mountaineer legacy.

“All three of these gymnasts are so different, and I have such positive feelings about each of them,” fifth-year Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. “I judge my senior classes by how sad I am to have ‘Senior Night,’ and this is one of the nights I’m upset to see because I’m going to miss each of these gymnasts.”

Butts and his staff will honor Idell, Lawrence and Tolbert tonight following the No. 25-ranked Mountaineers’ 7 p.m. meet against Pitt. Each of the student-athletes took time this week to reflect on her years at WVU and the fond memories she will take with her once her time in Morgantown is complete.

Melissa Idell

Newark, Del.

Elementary Education

What is your favorite memory as a Mountaineer?

That’s so hard because there are so many great memories. I don’t think I have a favorite memory. Instead, when I look back over the last four years, my time at WVU has been filled with ‘remember this’ moments. I don’t think I can pinpoint one that was better than the others. Everything I’ve done has been a great memory.

Competitions with my team have always been memorable, but so has practice, too.

Your senior class is the first class to be a part of the Big 12 Conference all four years. How do you think affiliation with the conference has helped WVU Gymnastics, and how do you think the team has developed over the last four years?

I think when I came to WVU as a freshman, the team was riding a high from winning the 2012 EAGL Championship. Then, we all felt like we had something to prove in 2013 in our first season in the Big 12, and I think we did prove that we belonged my freshman year. I think we’ve had some bumps along the way, but I think we always welcomed the chance to compete in the Big 12; we never let the conference intimidate us. We’re proud to be a member of the Big 12 Conference.

Obviously, this program can only go up. I can see the potential in everyone, and so can our coaches. I think this senior class has laid a really good foundation for the program over the last four years to help the team keep climbing.

How do you think your last four years with WVU Gymnastics will benefit you for the rest of your life?

I think the friendships I’ve made and the family I now have are the most important to me. There are a lot of memories I will take with me.

If you should have a daughter in the future, would you want her to be a WVU gymnast, and why?

She would have no other option! I wouldn’t let her go anywhere else. WVU gymnastics is more than just gymnastics – it’s a family. I’ve had such a great experience. My life isn’t just school and gymnastics. The coaches really make sure you’re loving your life. They can be hard on you sometimes, but it’s just like your parents. I’ve been so blessed, and I feel such pride for West Virginia.

What feelings and thoughts do you think you’ll have during your last competition inside the WVU Coliseum?

I may cry! I always go into meets thinking that I should take advantage of each opportunity and not take anything for granted, so I definitely will keep those thoughts in my head. I think it will be more meaningful because it’s my last meet in Morgantown.

After Senior Night, you still have at least three more competitions with your teammates. How are you hoping to end the season?

I just want to have fun. The scores really don’t matter at the end of the day. I want to hit my routines and try my best each time. That one snapshot isn’t as important when compared to all four years.

Coach Jason Butts on Melissa Idell’s Mountaineer Legacy

Melissa is the type of gymnast that you can’t ask much more from. She was a walk-on when she joined the team, and she earned a scholarship after her sophomore season. She didn’t think she would contribute much when she first arrived, and now she is scoring 9.9+ on two events. Melissa is one of the hardest workers inside Cary Gym. We couldn’t be more proud of her.

Melissa is a fantastic leader. She’s always one of the loudest Mountaineers on the floor, and she is welcoming and inviting to all that visit with our team. Mel has always been one of the first to jump in and help. She also has great grades.

You can’t expect much more out of an athlete than what Mel has done at WVU. As a coach, to have her be so successful and earn what she has earned tells me that the coaching staff is doing its job. She is going out doing her best gymnastics.

Jaida Lawrence

Rocky Hill, Conn.

Speech Pathology and Audiology Major

What is your favorite memory as a Mountaineer?

That’s so hard – I don’t even know! Honestly, I think the sense of family that I’ve developed over the last four years has been my favorite thing about being a Mountaineer. I have developed friendships that I know will last a lifetime. I really like that aspect of this program.

I’ve always loved competing in every meet. This last weekend was definitely one of my top moments. We earned our highest score (196.8) since I’ve been here; that was a great moment.

I think we were very talented my freshman season – that was the second-most talented team I’ve been on, outside of this season’s team. There were some bumps in the road the next two years. It can be tough competing in the Big 12 Conference, but I think we’ve done well. The Big 12 Conference is a challenge for this program, and that’s a good thing – it’s made us a better team. We’re going up against No. 1 Oklahoma each season, and that pushes us to compete the best we can.

How do you think your last four years with WVU Gymnastics will benefit you for the rest of your life?

Jason leads this program in a way that each person has to become independent. He’s not the coach to yell and scream at you to get things done in the gym and in the classroom – he leaves it up to you. That’s been really helpful because I have matured so much since my freshman year, both in the gym and in school. I’ve been doing awesome, and that’s because this program has helped me become an independent woman. That’s what I’ll take away from WVU.

If you should have a daughter in the future, would you want her to be a WVU gymnast, and why?

I’m going to put her in gymnastics, but I won’t force her to compete at WVU. It would be cool for her to be a Mountaineer and hold up the legacy I’ve started. That would be awesome.

What feelings and thoughts do you think you’ll have during your last competition inside the WVU Coliseum?

I’m definitely going to be overwhelmed. Everything probably won’t hit me until the end, especially after I vault because then I will know it’s really over – I’ll never compete inside the Coliseum again. It’s going to be tough, too, walking out onto the floor with my parents.

After Senior Night, you still have at least three more competitions with your teammates. How are you hoping to end the season?

I think we need to keep trying to go 196.0+ each meet. I think we can do it, for sure. I think also striving to finish at least second at the Big 12 Gymnastics Championship is a realistic goal for us, too. I think we can do it!

Coach Jason Butts on Jaida Lawrence’s Mountaineer Legacy

Jaida walked in the door her freshman year and blew everyone’s socks off. Vault may be her signature event, but she’ll be most remembered for her work ethic. She trains all-around every day, and she has her entire career at WVU. Jaida knocks it out every day at Cary Gym, and she takes pride in the fact that she constantly fights to be the hardest-working gymnast. I think that’s huge.

Jaida is a great leader. She’s always positive at the meets. She is the first one to help her teammates. Jaida has come really far in her four years; she has grown-up and matured as a gymnast. Jaida will leave Morgantown being the best person she can be.

I really feel confident in the adult Jaida has become. I know she’ll do great things after she leaves Morgantown.

Audrey Tolbert

Frederick, Maryland

Interior Design Major

What is your favorite memory as a Mountaineer?

There are so many moments. Oh man. I think my favorite moment was my first meet back competing gymnastics (Feb. 22, 2015). I competed bars, and I hadn’t competed bars in college yet. I was finally helping the team. After I finished my hit routine, I looked back at the rest of my teammates, and they all were running toward me. They each gave me a hug. Everyone was so happy for me, and it showed me that I have so much support behind me. I finally felt like I had the moment I had been waiting for in college. It was so awesome.

Honestly, I think the level of competition has made a big impact on this program. As a member of the Big 12 Conference, you compete against tough competition all season long. I think that competition has pushed this program to be a better team. We want to compete against the top-notch programs, and I think we’re proving that WVU is a top program. The Big 12 Conference has made this program step up.

How do you think your last four years with WVU Gymnastics will benefit you for the rest of your life?

WVU gymnastics has taught me I can start over, regardless of what life throws at me. I think that’s a pretty big lesson to learn. Gymnastics itself has taught me so much. I think I will take every lesson everyone always talks about – time management, hard work, discipline, setting goals – I’ll take those skills with me for sure.

I also have made a huge group of friends and family at WVU that I will keep with me forever.

If you should have a daughter in the future, would you want her to be a WVU gymnast, and why?

I will let her do whatever she wants. I may steer her away from some things. I will just want her to be happy. That’s all my parents wanted for me – to be happy. If she doesn’t compete gymnastics, that’s fine. If she does compete gymnastics, I won’t push her a certain way, but I will encourage her to go where she thinks she will be most happy, and I definitely think that would be at WVU.

What feelings and thoughts do you think you’ll have during your last competition inside the WVU Coliseum?

I try not to be sentimental. The hardest thing for me will be not competing with my team inside the WVU Coliseum after this year. I think Friday night, I’ll be thinking mostly of the team and not my routines. I am going to want to enjoy the night. I’m definitely going to be sad, but I think above all else, I’ll be enjoying the moment.

After Senior Night, you still have at least three more competitions with your teammates. How are you hoping to end the season?

I think most of my goals are team-oriented. I want to continue to prove that WVU is a top-ranked team. I think this season has taught us all that we can set our expectations a lot higher, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable for us to admit that qualifying for the NCAA National Championships is one of our goals. I think we can do that. I want to continue to have the consistent season that we’ve enjoyed so far. And, I want to keep having fun!

Coach Jason Butts on Audrey Tolbert’s Mountaineer Legacy

We always wanted Audrey to come to WVU, and while she took a different path to get to Morgantown, we are so thrilled she is competing. She has been reborn as a Mountaineer. We have seen her confidence grow so much in two seasons. When she walked through the door, Audrey was defeated and didn’t even know if she still wanted to compete gymnastics. Now, she is one of our top beam workers and is constantly pushing our bars lineup.

Audrey is a great leader for this team. Her work ethic is so strong. She knocks it out in the gym and in conditioning each day. Audrey is so positive. She reminds me a lot of (assistant coach) Kaylyn Millick – she is a free spirit, and she brings that energy into the gym each day.

I’m so proud of Audrey. She is going to walk across the floor at our last meet proud to be a gymnast. She will be a Mountaineer for life.

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