UAA gymnastics permanently reinstated with nearly $900,000 in grassroots donations

The University of Alaska Anchorage announced that its gymnastics program has officially achieved reinstatement by securing more than the $888,000 in donations necessary to safeguard its future.

The team includes Brooklyn Kopsack, a graduate of Colony High School.

As many may recall, the Board of Regents voted in September 2020 to discontinue hockey, gymnastics and Alpine skiing at UAA unless the teams could raise two years of private funding to cover operating expenses.

The gymnastics team was tasked with raising $888,000 over two years in order to achieve reinstatement. Due to the hard work of the gymnastics team and the support of the community, the team raised the $444,000 necessary by June 30, 2021. Since then, they have been working to raise the second half of the funds by the June 30, 2022 deadline in order to achieve full reinstatement. Today, the university officially confirmed the team has met that goal.

“This represents a huge step forward for Seawolf Athletics and an incredible success for UAA and our community,” said Chancellor Parnell. “Once again, our community demonstrated its strength by rallying together and supporting the university and its students. I am thrilled that our gymnastics team’s hard work paid off and our student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete and represent UAA with pride and enthusiasm.”

The Seawolves gymnastics team has its first home match in January 2023, with a team of 20, its largest roster in a decade.