Galow and Kenney of UB Gymnastics Named WCGA Coach and Gymnast of the Year
Lorraine Galow - DII Co-Coach of the Year | Abby Kenney - DII Gymnast of the Year
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Following another outstanding campaign for two of UB's all-time greats, Lorraine Galow and Abby Kenney of the Purple Knights gymnastics squad each picked up major awards from the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association on Wednesday. Galow was named as the WCGA's Division II Co-Coach of the Year while Kenney was tabbed as the DII Gymnast of the Year.
Kenney, who shared Gymnast of the Year honors last season, claimed the award outright in 2026 after finishing with an all-around National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 38.970—the top mark in NCAA Division II. She posted a season-best all-around score of 39.150 on two occasions, including at the team finals of the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship (WCGNIC).
Her stellar showing at nationals earned her a pair of WCGNIC All-America honors on bars and vault. Kenney finished the season with event highs of 9.850 on beam, bars, and vault, along with a 9.875 on floor, while consistently excelling in the all-around with six first-place finishes across the year.
Kenney's superb 2026 also saw her earn WCGA Regular Season All-America recognition for the third straight year. She was tabbed as a first-team All-Around selection.
Galow ('11, '13), who just completed her fifth season as UB's head gymnastics coach, guided the Purple Knights to another terrific campaign in 2026. The Purple Knights posted a team National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 192.603, the second-highest mark among all NCAA Division II programs. They also recorded a season-best score of 194.125 on March 15 which was the squad's top performance since 2024. UB surpassed the 194-mark on three occasions this season.
Galow also led Bridgeport to an impressive third-place finish at the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship (WCGNIC), where nine Purple Knights earned All-America honors, four more than the previous season.
Another highlight of the year was junior Nova Staruk earning a spot at the NCAA Regionals, becoming UB's first regional qualifier since 2022. She also earned Gymnastics East Conference (GEC) Specialist of the Year honors.
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