Jaedyn Rucker shares how her passion and success for gymnastics started young and some advice on quitting - that goes beyond sports

Power Players with Dan Clark

In this episode, Jaedyn Rucker shares how her passion and success for gymnastics started young and some advice on quitting - that goes beyond sports

This episode is brought to you by Master Electrical Service -- a supporter of Talkin' Utes and Utah Athletics.

About Jaedyn Rucker:

Career Highlights

• NCAA Vault Champion (2022)

• NCAA All-American (vault)

• Three-time All-Pac-12 Conference

• 2021 Pac-12 Floor Co-Champion

• Three-time Pac-12 Specialist of the Week

• Two-time Pac-12 Coaches Choice award recipient

• 8 career wins

• Has hit 57-60 career routines

• Pac-12 All-Academic

2022 Season (Junior)

• NCAA Vault Champion

• First team NCAA All-American (vault)

• First team All-Pac-12 Conference (vault)

• Starter on vault every meet, floor all but one competition

• Scored a 9.9625 to win the NCAA individual vault title during the NCAA semifinals

• Recorded season-high tying 9.975 on vault at the NCAA finals

• Scored a 9.875 or better on floor in 10 of 15 routines, including final four floor routines of the postseason

• Posted a 9.975 on vault at California for event victory

• Tallied season-best 9.925 on floor against Oklahoma, Arizona State, and Minnesota

• Two-time Pac-12 Specialist of the Week (Jan. 11, Feb. 15)

• 4 event victories (all on vault)

• Hit 29-31 routines

2021 Season (Sophomore)

• Honorable Mention All-Pac-12 Conference on vault and floor

• Pac-12 Floor Co-Champion

• Starter on vault and floor every competition, bars in one meet

• Hit 9.90-mark on floor in seven of final eight routines

• Posted the highest score on vault at the NCAA Championships with a career high 9.9875 in the finals

• Pac-12 Specialist of the Week (Mar. 2) and two-time Pac-12 Coaches’ Choice recipient (Jan. 21, Feb. 9)

• Utah’s Most Improved Gymnast award winner

• 4 event victories (two on vault, two on floor)

• Hit 28-29 routines

• Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll

2020 Season (Freshman)

• Missed entire season with a knee injury sustained prior to joining the team

• Had knee surgery in Feb. 2019

• WCGA Scholastic All-American

• Athletic Director’s Honor Roll

Prior to Utah

• 2018 J.O. national vault champion (Senior B)

• Also placed 2nd all-around, 2nd on floor, 4th on bars and 7th on beam at 2018 J.O. Nationals

• 1st all-around, 1st on vault (10.0) and 1st on floor at the 2018 Pikes Peak Cup

• Three-time regional champion

• 12-time state champion

• Won every event and the all-around at the 2018 Arizona State Championship

• Trained at Desert Devils Gymnastics

• Graduated from Desert Ridge High School

Personal

• Daughter of Robert and Amy Rucker

• Father was a 1991 track All-American at Arizona State

• Sisters Jordyn and Jyntry

• Major is Kinesiology

• Full name is Jaedyn Breon Rucker

Rucker's Career HighsVault9.9875 at NCAA Championship Final, Apr. 17, 2021Bars9.725 vs. Utah State, Mar. 12, 2021Floor9.95 vs. California, Feb. 26, 20219.95 at Pac-12 Championships, Mar. 20, 2021

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.