Chambana Sun

Illinois gymnast Chloe Cho has been named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year, following her performance at the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The announcement came as Cho led the University of Illinois team to a sixth-place finish with a score of 196.500 in Session II.

Head coach Nadalie Walsh praised Cho's achievements, stating, "Chloe was near flawless today, and all season long." She added that being awarded this title is "the most amazing cherry on top of an already stellar freshman season."

Cho is only the third Illini athlete to receive this honor, joining Ashley Williams (2002) and Allison Buckley (2008). Throughout the season, she has earned seventeen titles across various events and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week four times. Additionally, she secured spots on both the All-Freshman Team and First-Team All-Big Ten.

During the championships, Cho was one of two freshmen to receive first-team honors alongside Iowa's Aurélie Tran. Her rankings place her in the top 100 on every apparatus nationally and in the top 40 for all-around performance.

The Illinois team competed against Iowa, Maryland, and Penn State in Session II. Senior captain Makayla Green achieved a career-high score on uneven bars with a 9.925. Chloe Cho also contributed significantly with scores including a 9.900 on beam and a 9.850 on vault.

Cho finished seventh overall in all-around competition with a score of 39.475. Coach Walsh commended her team's efforts: "This team went out there today with their minds made up that they would not leave disappointed."

Other notable awards from the Big Ten Championships include Sage Kellerman from Michigan State being named Specialist of the Year, Nikki Smith from Michigan State receiving Gymnast of the Year honors, and Janelle McDonald from UCLA being recognized as Coach of the Year.

The Illini are set to continue their competitive journey at regionals for their 21st consecutive year.