Junior gymnast Leah Clapper receives Florida’s fourth SEC Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
By Mariel White, UF Communications
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Southeastern Conference honors junior gymnast, Leah Clapper<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_sports_womens-2Dgymnastics_roster_leah-2Dclapper_14036&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ksNcvs6HpFOn5Sj4_dgTGZszQtrRDnAkWzk0grBjclI&s=AREe0reCZYhhh2sUbicj1dtALAnRy_KeD0wkPhZYJgU&e= >, as the 2021 SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The league office announced the award Saturday afternoon prior to the start of the 40th edition of the SEC Championship meet. Top-seeded Florida competes in Session II which airs live on the SEC Network at 8 p.m. ET.
Previous Gators to receive SEC Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award
* 2018 Alex McMurtry
* 2017 Alex McMurtry
* 2008 Rebekah Zaiser
Clapper’s attention to detail, organizational awareness and passion for creativity have encouraged her to pursue an undergraduate degree in Advertising. The junior from Ann Arbor, Mich., is dual enrolled in graduate classes. She owns a 3.98 grade point average and receives her bachelor’s degree this summer. Clapper then plans to continue her studies to earn her Professional Master’s in the College of Journalism and Communications at UF.
Clapper competed on uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise this season. She was awarded her first-ever collegiate 10.0 on the beam versus Kentucky on February 19. Her perfection carried into the following week’s meet against Auburn with a near-perfect 9.975 on beam, earning her a piece of the beam title. This was one of three beam titles that Clapper won in 2021 action.
Sharing 14th place in the national beam rankings, Clapper posted a 9.90 or better in four out of six beam performances in the 2021 regular season. She also posted her collegiate bests for uneven bars (9.875) and floor exercise (9.825) this season.
In her limited free time, Clapper writes for her food and wellness blog, Zest & Finesse<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.zestandfinesse.com_z-26f_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ksNcvs6HpFOn5Sj4_dgTGZszQtrRDnAkWzk0grBjclI&s=uFdCKl-WfFXfwH9yMZES77CG08kTVd7t8VRDzBI5fjs&e= >, in hopes to “inspire others to live happier and healthier lives through food.” She recently added a podcast to her platform, Zest & Progress<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__open.spotify.com_show_4Dt096J1iysFhP1qH1ECZV&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ksNcvs6HpFOn5Sj4_dgTGZszQtrRDnAkWzk0grBjclI&s=02jGPIk04_SSSQz9hf3MpOTfeOPvwqgKXNynzF_oAF0&e= >, which focuses on motivating listeners and features interviews with fellow Gator gymnasts.
SEC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Leah Clapper<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_sports_womens-2Dgymnastics_roster_leah-2Dclapper_14036&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=ksNcvs6HpFOn5Sj4_dgTGZszQtrRDnAkWzk0grBjclI&s=AREe0reCZYhhh2sUbicj1dtALAnRy_KeD0wkPhZYJgU&e= >
* 3.98 GPA in Advertising
* Pursuing Professional Master’s from the UF College of Journalism and Communications
* 2019 & 2020 WCGA Scholastic All-American
* 2020 SEC Academic Honor Roll with 4.0 GPA
* 2019 SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll with 4.0 GPA
Later Tonight:
Tune into the SEC Network at 8 p.m. ET to watch the Gators compete in the 40th SEC Championship meet as the team hopes to add another trophy to stand alongside their 2021 SEC regular-season title.
The Championship meet is hosted in Huntsville, Ala., at the Von Braun Center and starts at 3:30 p.m. ET with seeds No. 5-8.
