TUCSON, Ariz. ?- Former women’s gymnast Heidi Hornbeek will be inducted into the University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame on the weekend of Nov. 4-6. Hornbeek is among seven other former student-athletes that will be recognized in the 2005 class.
During her career from 1996-2000, Hornbeek established herself as one of the most accomplished gymnasts in Arizona history. She is the only gymnast to receive the AAI American Award, honoring the top senior gymnast in the nation each year. In her freshman season, Hornbeek captured the NCAA floor championship, joining Anna Basaldua as the only Wildcats to win individual national titles.
A six-time All-America selection, Hornbeek was also a seven-time All-Pac-10 honoree. In 1996, she became the first Arizona gymnast to win a Pac-10 all-around championship, and in 1997, she brought home both the beam and floor titles. Her three conference titles are the most of any Wildcat, and her career-bests still rank in the Top 3 at Arizona in each event, including all-around.
Hornbeek is one of 12 All-American gymnasts that head coach Bill Ryden has trained in his tenure at Arizona. “When Heidi came here, she was the No. 1 recruit in the country that year,” said Ryden. “Her accomplishments really define just how good she was compared to her peers. She set a level of both athletic and academic excellence that will be hard to match. There was no challenge that Heidi was not up to.”
Along with her athletic accomplishments, Hornbeek also garnered national attention for her efforts in the classroom. She was twice named an Academic All-American by the Coaches’ Association, and in 2000 she was selected to the GTE Academic All-America second team.
For more information on the induction ceremony, click the link at the top of the page, or call (520) 621-2331.
Hornbeek’s Career Honors
- 2000 AAI American Award (top senior gymnast)
- 2000 GTE Academic All-America (second team)
- 2000 GTE Academic All District VII team
- 2000 Pacific-10 All-Academic (first team)
- 1999 All-American (uneven bars, balance beam, all-around)
- 1999 Academic All-American (Coaches’ Association)
- 1999 All-Pacific-10 (vault)
- 1999 Pacific-10 All-Academic (first team)
- 1999 GTE Academic All-District VII team
- 1997 All-Pacific-10 (balance beam, floor exercise, all-around)
- 1997 Pacific-10 All-Academic (first team)
- 1997 GTE Academic All-District VII team
- 1997 Pacific-10 Floor and Beam Champion
- 1996 All-American (uneven bars, floor exercise, all-around)
- 1996 NCAA Floor Champion
- 1996 Academic All-American (Coaches’ Association)
- 1996 Pacific-10 All-Around Champion
- 1996 All-Pacific-10 (uneven bars, floor exercise, all-around)
Hornbeek’s Career Bests
Vault: 10.000*
Bars: 9.950
Beam: 9.950
Floor: 10.000*
AA: 39.700
*Ties School Record
