This season, the freshmen of the Illinois women’s gymnastics team had a lot to bond over. All three girls were experiencing college life for the first time, but they were also all returning from injury.

Jordyn Givens of Keller, Texas, recovered from an elbow injury, but competed for the Illini right away on vault. Bridget Hodan of Brookfield, Wisconsin, hurt her femur during the school year after competing at the annual Orange and Blue Exhibition in December. The newest addition to the team, Becca Cuppy of Ankeny, Iowa, joined the Illini for the spring semester and returned from a stress fracture in her foot.

While injuries aren’t what they hoped for, the trio’s similar experiences allowed them to form a closer bond. Givens knew that their similar situations allowed them to rely on each other, and Cuppy agreed.



Becca Cuppy practices her floor routine before the Illini's meet against Minnesota on February 7.


“We all know how hard it is, so we know what to say to each other,” Cuppy said. “It’s just really nice having those two be a part of my class and be there to support me.”

They all had the chance to push those in the lineup and exhibitioned in competition. Givens debuted her floor routine on February 20 against Michigan State. Cuppy’s debuts came on February 7 against Michigan State for beam and March 1 at the Masters Classic for floor.



On Feburary 27, Jordyn Givens cheers to a school song during the touch warm-ups for floor.



Hodan, however, didn’t make her debut until the end of the season. She was cleared to train beam on March 2, just five days before her NCAA debut.

“I only had three practices before I could come up and compete, so (I felt) every emotion in the book,” Hodan said. “I was excited, nervous, just happy. It was a lot of fun.”

Her teammates shared the emotional experience too, especially Givens, who was recording her teammate’s routine.

“I was just on edge the entire time to pause it, so I could run over to her, hug her and high-five her,” Givens said. “I was just so proud. It’s just nice seeing the freshmen doing what we came here to do.”

Even though it was Hodan’s first collegiate routine, it didn’t appear that way.



Hodan performs on beam during the Orange and Blue Exhibition on December 7.



“It looked like she’d been training beam the whole year,” Cuppy said. “I was just really proud of how hard she worked to get back so fast.”

Now that they have all overcome their injuries and survived their first season as NCAA gymnasts, Cuppy, Givens and Hodan are looking forward to what the future has in store. They wouldn’t have chosen any other girls to share it with.

“I’m just most excited to share all these experiences with them, hopefully make it to Nationals,” Cuppy said. “I know we’re going to have a great time together.”