University of Minnesota Athletics
Q&A with Freshman Briana Jones
10/31/2008 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Now that you’re been on campus for a couple of months, what are your first impressions of college life?
It’s different, but it’s not as big and scary as I thought it would be. All the girls on the team really made us feel at home right away.
What has your transition to college been like, being away from parents, and so on?
It’s a lot different being away from home, but I still talk to my parents a lot. They’ve been here to visit once, and I know they’ll be here even more often once the season starts. My mom recently called me and told me that she had booked a hotel room so they can come to visit for all our home meets this season. It will be nice to see them, but I like being on my own too.
How has your gymnastics training routine changed since coming to college?
I like the training a lot more here. It’s a lot more focused on goals. We all have a goal, and the whole team is working toward the same thing, everyone is so supportive. The coaches have a plan for each of us, and I never really had that before, but I really appreciate that.
The team has goals like winning a Big Ten title and advancing to nationals, but do you have individual goals set for yourself?
Yes, my goal is to make the line up on beam and floor. I really want to compete on those events, and hopefully on vault too. I want to improve my gymnastics and live up to my potential.
What piqued your interest in the University of Minnesota?
I knew Jade (Beattie), I did gymnastics with her in North Dakota. I knew that she came here for college, and she continued to talk to me and told me how awesome it was here. She’s really the one who made me interested in learning more about Minnesota.
What made you decide that you wanted to come to college at Minnesota?
When I came on a recruiting trip, it just felt right. I didn’t want to go anywhere else. It’s a good distance from home for me, my brother goes to school here, and the team was great.
What’s your favorite event to compete in?
Probably floor, but I like beam too. Floor is my favorite because I really like to perform and dance. As long as I’ve been training in gymnastics, I’ve been doing dance too, so dance is really fun for me.
How many events are you training on?
I’m training everything but bars, which is a lot of work, but it’s fun.
Have you decided what you’re going to major in?
I’m pretty sure I’m going to major in physiology. I know that I want to go to physical therapy school after I get a bachelor’s degree.
As a student-athlete, your schedule is pretty full between classes, homework, and training. When you have some free time, how do you like to spend it?
I just like to hang out with all the girls on the team. We hang out in the dorms or we go shopping.
How’s dorm life?
I really like it. It’s different to share a room since I had never shared a room before. It’s like being in your bedroom all the time, but it’s fun. All of us freshmen are right there together.
Players Mentioned
