2024 Gymnastics Senior Reflections
3/7/2024
Ahead of their final home meet this Sunday, the Brown women’s gymnastics senior class of 2024 reflected on their careers and their time at Brown.
The group will be honored at their team’s annual senior meet this Sunday, March 10.
Asta Farrell – New York, N.Y.
What is your favorite Brown gymnastics moment up to this point?
This may be a popular one, but my favorite moment was winning Ivies in the 2023 season. The meet really was anyone’s game, but we showed up and showed out, and were able to take home the trophy while also posting one of our top scores in program history. The excitement throughout the team was infectious and wonderful, and I know I will always cherish that feeling.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
My class has been through a lot of ups and downs: losing our high school senior year, having our weird spring-summer COVID freshman year, and losing our 2021 season. However, despite the obstacles, we’ve pushed through together, and have gotten closer as a class by doing so. I don’t think any of us were expecting the time to fly so quickly, but now that we’re here, we’re just trying to live in the present and enjoy these last few incredibly special months we still have together.
Describe the feeling going into this weekend's meet. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I’m definitely feeling bittersweet about this weekend; even just thinking about this question kind of has me choked up. I love my team so much, and I love my school, and it’s difficult to accept this will be my last time ever competing at home. As my collegiate career comes to a close, like I mentioned before, I am really doing my best to live in the present and take it all in. We’re going to go out there and give it everything we can, and that’s all I can really ask for.
What will you miss most about Brown gymnastics?
Although hanging up my grips is definitely going to be tough, what I will truly miss the most are my amazing teammates. Being part of this team has been such a blessing, and I’ve gotten the opportunity to meet such strong, talented, hardworking girls from across the country. I will be forever grateful to Brown for introducing me to my best friends; saying goodbye to them will be one of the hardest things I’ll ever have to do.
What are your postgraduate plans?
Right now, my postgraduate plans include 1-2 gap years before applying to medical school. For the first time in my life, my future is largely unplanned, and while at times it's a bit frightening, I’m excited to embark on this new journey and discover new things about myself. Not to sound corny, but the world truly is our oyster, and I can’t wait to see where life takes me.
Lauren Kramer – Downers Grove, Ill.
What is your favorite Brown gymnastics moment up to this point?
My favorite Brown gymnastics moment was our travel meet to the University of North Carolina. Because of lingering COVID restrictions, it was our first meet where fans and supporters were allowed. The team really bonded on this trip, and it was an unforgettable moment to run into a big arena with my teammates and be announced as the Brown Bears in front of a large crowd. For me personally, it was a great moment where I felt the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to gymnastics paying off.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
The senior class has been through so much as a group, and I cannot imagine experiencing my time at Brown with anyone else. We have grown so much as a class and although we are all moving in different directions next year, I am sure that our ties will stay strong.
Describe the feeling going into this weekend's meet. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I’m filled with a sense of gratitude heading into this final meet in Pizzitola. My aim this year was to savor each moment as a celebration of my gymnastics journey because I am so thankful for the opportunities this sport has given me! Additionally, I am excited to defend our second consecutive undefeated season at home!
What will you miss most about Brown gymnastics?
I will miss the team environment the most. Our team exemplifies unwavering support in practices, meets, and everyday life. I’m so happy to be a part of a group that encourages everyone to reach their goals and have fun along the way.
What are your postgraduate plans?
I have been accepted into Ph.D. programs in mechanical engineering and am currently finalizing my decision.
Ali Lowe – Valley Village, Calif.
What is your favorite Brown gymnastics moment up to this point?
My favorite Brown gymnastics moment was winning Ivies in 2023. In that moment, I felt that the team came together in a really special way. Looking back, that will be one of my favorite days of college, with a team that I will never forget.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
While all of the seniors take a very different role on this team, I feel that we have learned to work together throughout college to lead in our own ways. While we came into college physically separated by the COVID pandemic, we found ways to support one another and through this I have made lifelong connections with many of my fellow seniors.
Describe the feeling going into this weekend's meet. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I am really excited for this weekend's meet. It will be very fun to celebrate the end of a long career with my family and best friends. Coming to the end of my gymnastics career brings feelings of nostalgia. This sport has been a part of me for so many years, but throughout college I feel that I have grown as an athlete and a person, and I feel ready to explore what comes next.
What will you miss most about Brown gymnastics?
I will miss being with my best friends all the time. After leaving Brown, I will not be able to text a friend and be in their room two minutes later. I will miss team hangouts and the amazing friends that I have made.
What are your postgraduate plans?
Following graduation, I plan to work in clinical research before applying to medical school.
Lauren McKeown – Austin, Texas
What is your favorite Brown gymnastics moment up to this point?
My favorite Brown gymnastics moment was when we won Ivies at home in 2023. The environment in the Pizz was electric and everyone on the team was bought into each routine. It felt so good to have all our hard work come together at the right time. I will never forget the pure excitement we experienced as a team when the final results came in.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
Dynamic, heartfelt, and comical. Each of us brings valuable contributions to the team, with our own distinct skills, perspectives, and strengths. We have made so many fun memories together, and I'm thankful that each of them has been a part of my Brown gymnastics journey.
Describe the feeling going into this weekend's meet. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
As we head into senior meet, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I have learned so much about myself and grown significantly as an athlete during my time at Brown. Each year and team have brought something special into my life, and I will forever cherish the experiences college gymnastics has provided me. I truly love the sport of gymnastics and will cherish all the moments I have left in the sport!
What will you miss most about Brown gymnastics?
I will definitely miss the team and the thrill of competing the most.
What are your postgraduate plans?
After graduation, I will be working as a technology consulting analyst at Accenture in San Francisco.
Lara Swords – Springfield, Mo.
What is your favorite Brown gymnastics moment up to this point?
My favorite Brown gymnastics moment up to this point has been winning the 2023 Ivy Championships. The home crowd energy was amazing, and you could see the months of hard work we put in during preseason shining through our performances. I was so proud of our team’s success that day, and now we have rings to forever remind us of that shared victory.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
My senior class has made these four years at Brown better than I could have ever hoped. We’ve been such a strong support system for each other through the years, and it’s been incredible to watch each other grow into confident, kind, and intelligent women. I’m so lucky to have met lifelong friends through this team.
Describe the feeling going into this weekend's meet. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
I’m psyched for the meet this weekend! This year, our team has shown adaptability and grit like I’ve never seen, and I know we’re going to give it everything we’ve got on Sunday. As I near the end of my collegiate career, I’m filled with gratitude more than anything. College gymnastics was a lifelong dream of mine, and it’s been an honor to spend four years surrounded by the most outstanding women I’ve ever met doing the sport I love. While it’s bittersweet to end this chapter of my life, I’m excited to see what lies ahead.
What will you miss most about Brown gymnastics?
I’ll miss seeing my teammates every day the most. Whether we’re at practice, on the bus heading to a competition, or just hanging in the locker room, they always keep things fun. Being around them brings so much joy to my day, and I’m going to miss having them around after I graduate.
What are your postgraduate plans?
As of now, the plan is to spend a year working as a research assistant at WashU before attending medical school in the fall of 2025!
McKenna Weiner – Weston, Conn.
What is your favorite Brown gymnastics moment up to this point?
My favorite Brown gymnastics experience was competing beam at the inaugural GEC Championships when we broke the school record during my sophomore season!
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
Meeting in the middle of the COVID pandemic, our senior class faced one of the greatest challenges toward building a team. Despite those hurdles, I have created lifelong friendships with many of my fellow seniors in and out of the gym throughout the course of our college careers.
Describe the feeling going into this weekend's meet. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
Every year, approximately 23,000 kids compete in their first gymnastics meet; however, only two percent ever achieve collegiate status. Going into this weekend, I am very proud that I was able to achieve this level of gymnastics and be a contributing member of a Division 1 program. As I near the end of my collegiate career, I feel satisfied with my career and grateful for the time management, grit, and teamwork skills that I’ve learned from the sport.
What will you miss most about Brown gymnastics?
I have been a gymnast since I was seven years old. Gymnastics has given my life structure and forced me to challenge myself both physically and mentally. I will miss the satisfying feeling of throwing a double back flip, or leaping through the air, but also the strong friendships that I’ve made with so many of my teammates.
What are your postgraduate plans?
After completing my concentrations in both biology and economics, I will begin my career as a Life Sciences Investment Banking Analyst at William Blair in Chicago. I am grateful to work in a field that blends my interests in science and finance!
Angela Xing – Devens, Mass.
What is your favorite Brown gymnastics moment up to this point?
Winning Ivies in 2023
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
Going through the COVID era has bonded us in a special way. We've definitely had our ups and downs, but I think that's made us closer as a class. They're some of my best friends and I wouldn't trade anything for the memories I've made with them.
Describe the feeling going into this weekend's meet. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
It's definitely bittersweet. I'm so grateful for the experiences I've had on this team and the memories I've made with everyone, but I'm ready to embark on the next chapter of my life. As I near the end of my gymnastics career, I'm ready to just enjoy every moment and put everything I have into this team one last time.
What will you miss most about Brown gymnastics?
The energy. There's nothing quite like hitting a routine at a meet and having your whole team behind you celebrating. Even when I'm having a bad day, just going into practice and being around everyone changes my energy and lifts my mood. Also, I'm definitely going to miss the post-practice V-Dub dinners with everyone ?¨
What are your postgraduate plans?
I'm planning on getting a master’s in computer science.
