Kayla Smith Garners First Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Honor
March 17, 2026 02:58 PM | Gymnastics
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Freshman Kayla Smith of the West Virginia University gymnastics team has been named the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday.
The honor marks Smith's first career Big 12 weekly award, as well as just the second for the Mountaineers this season. She becomes the first Newcomer of the Week since Sophia Rice received the honor on Jan. 6, 2025.
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Smith set multiple career highs across two meets over the weekend, including an impressive 39.225 on all-around at NC State on March 13. She also scored a career-best 9.8 on beam at NC State, as well as a 9.825 on bars at Pitt on March 15. Smith now owns career bests of at least 9.8 or higher on every event.
Additionally, she scored two 39.0+ all-around scores on the weekend to take first place on the event in both meets and move her season total to five on the year. In the event standings at NC State, she finished tied for third on beam with a career-high score, while also finishing in a tie for second on floor at Pitt.
Smith ranks No. 6 in the Big 12 on all-around with a 39.095 NQS, as well as seventh in the southeast region. She leads the team this year with 467.225 season points and 18 podium finishes.
Next up, West Virginia will open the postseason at the 2026 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship in West Valley City, Utah, on Saturday, March 21. The Mountaineers will be part of the first session of the championship, with competition inside the Maverik Center slated for 2 p.m. ET.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The honor marks Smith's first career Big 12 weekly award, as well as just the second for the Mountaineers this season. She becomes the first Newcomer of the Week since Sophia Rice received the honor on Jan. 6, 2025.
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Smith set multiple career highs across two meets over the weekend, including an impressive 39.225 on all-around at NC State on March 13. She also scored a career-best 9.8 on beam at NC State, as well as a 9.825 on bars at Pitt on March 15. Smith now owns career bests of at least 9.8 or higher on every event.
Additionally, she scored two 39.0+ all-around scores on the weekend to take first place on the event in both meets and move her season total to five on the year. In the event standings at NC State, she finished tied for third on beam with a career-high score, while also finishing in a tie for second on floor at Pitt.
Smith ranks No. 6 in the Big 12 on all-around with a 39.095 NQS, as well as seventh in the southeast region. She leads the team this year with 467.225 season points and 18 podium finishes.
Next up, West Virginia will open the postseason at the 2026 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship in West Valley City, Utah, on Saturday, March 21. The Mountaineers will be part of the first session of the championship, with competition inside the Maverik Center slated for 2 p.m. ET.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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