University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
/ Gymnastics
Photo by: Brad Rempel
All-Around with Rachel Cutler
3/7/2019 12:05:00 PM | Gymnastics
GopherSports.com caught up with a few of the gymnasts on the University of Minnesota women's gymnastics team to give fans a chance to get to know the personalities behind the incredible student-athletes who Love The Battle every day as they train at the U, beginning this week with senior Rachel Cutler.
The Grand Rapids, Mich. native has competed on the uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise during her time as a Gopher gymnast. She boasts career highs of 9.800 on bars, 9.850 on beam, and 9.875 on floor, and was a key component of Minnesota's floor lineup this season prior to suffering a season-ending injury.
During her time representing the Gophers, she has contributed to 3 of the top 5 uneven bar team scores, and the second best team floor score. In addition, she was instrumental in 2 of the top 5 best team scores in school history. She has advanced to the NCAA Regional Championship in each of her four seasons with the team and, most notably, was part of the Minnesota squad that claimed the 2016 Regular Season BIG Championship before qualifying to the NCAA National Championships in 2016.
Cutler and the Gophers look to build upon their success so far this season (13-3 overall record, 8-1 in the B1G) and continue the tradition of post-season success that Culter has seen in her first three years at Minnesota.
GS: What made you decide to come to Minnesota over another University?
RC: "I just really loved the team atmosphere and the coaches! It seemed like a good home away from home."
GS: What are some of the most important lessons you've learned in your first three years as a
Minnesota gymnast?
RC: "To give everything I've got so that I have no regrets when I graduate."
GS: What is your favorite gymnastics moment, either in your own career or in your time as a
gymnastics fan?
RC: "Winning the Regular Season Big Ten Championships my freshman year (2015-16)."
GS: Who is your favorite Gophers athlete and why?
RC: "Madeline Hanley because she's the most genuine person I've ever met."
GS: What are you hoping to do once you graduate this spring?
RC: "I'm going to travel and chill this summer and then I'm going to stay at Minnesota for one more year to do grad school for teaching."
GS: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given to yourself as a freshman?
RC: "I would probably tell myself to take it all in at each competition because it truly does go so so fast."
GS: Do you have any rituals or routines you go through before/while you compete?
RC: "Before every routine I do a little shimmy before I salute to shake off any nerves that I have!"
GS: Who would you say is your best bud on the team and why?
RC: "Paige Williams. Everything we talk about makes us laugh so hard-were really funny together and she's tons of fun to be around."
GS: What is one thing on your bucket list?
RC: "To fly in a hot air balloon!"
GS: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
RC: "Reading minds, so then I know what everyone is thinking."
GS: What is something you're really passionate about outside of gymnastics?
RC: "I'm really passionate about teaching. I want to be a kindergarten teacher some day and it makes me really excited to be able to change kids' lives."
GS: What would you like Gopher fans to know about you that they could never find out just by
watching you compete?
RC: "I hate spending money so I'm probably the cheapest person you'll ever meet! Everyone makes fun of me for it."
The No. 10 Golden Gophers will face off against No. 8 Georgia, No. 20 Arkansas and No. 39 Michigan State tomorrow night in Birmingham, Ala. in a quad meet hosted by Elevate The Stage. Competition kicks off at 6:30 p.m. CT and FloGymnastics will provide live coverage.
The Grand Rapids, Mich. native has competed on the uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise during her time as a Gopher gymnast. She boasts career highs of 9.800 on bars, 9.850 on beam, and 9.875 on floor, and was a key component of Minnesota's floor lineup this season prior to suffering a season-ending injury.
During her time representing the Gophers, she has contributed to 3 of the top 5 uneven bar team scores, and the second best team floor score. In addition, she was instrumental in 2 of the top 5 best team scores in school history. She has advanced to the NCAA Regional Championship in each of her four seasons with the team and, most notably, was part of the Minnesota squad that claimed the 2016 Regular Season BIG Championship before qualifying to the NCAA National Championships in 2016.
Cutler and the Gophers look to build upon their success so far this season (13-3 overall record, 8-1 in the B1G) and continue the tradition of post-season success that Culter has seen in her first three years at Minnesota.
GS: What made you decide to come to Minnesota over another University?
RC: "I just really loved the team atmosphere and the coaches! It seemed like a good home away from home."
GS: What are some of the most important lessons you've learned in your first three years as a
Minnesota gymnast?
RC: "To give everything I've got so that I have no regrets when I graduate."
GS: What is your favorite gymnastics moment, either in your own career or in your time as a
gymnastics fan?
RC: "Winning the Regular Season Big Ten Championships my freshman year (2015-16)."
GS: Who is your favorite Gophers athlete and why?
RC: "Madeline Hanley because she's the most genuine person I've ever met."
GS: What are you hoping to do once you graduate this spring?
RC: "I'm going to travel and chill this summer and then I'm going to stay at Minnesota for one more year to do grad school for teaching."
GS: Knowing what you know now, what advice would you have given to yourself as a freshman?
RC: "I would probably tell myself to take it all in at each competition because it truly does go so so fast."
GS: Do you have any rituals or routines you go through before/while you compete?
RC: "Before every routine I do a little shimmy before I salute to shake off any nerves that I have!"
GS: Who would you say is your best bud on the team and why?
RC: "Paige Williams. Everything we talk about makes us laugh so hard-were really funny together and she's tons of fun to be around."
GS: What is one thing on your bucket list?
RC: "To fly in a hot air balloon!"
GS: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
RC: "Reading minds, so then I know what everyone is thinking."
GS: What is something you're really passionate about outside of gymnastics?
RC: "I'm really passionate about teaching. I want to be a kindergarten teacher some day and it makes me really excited to be able to change kids' lives."
GS: What would you like Gopher fans to know about you that they could never find out just by
watching you compete?
RC: "I hate spending money so I'm probably the cheapest person you'll ever meet! Everyone makes fun of me for it."
The No. 10 Golden Gophers will face off against No. 8 Georgia, No. 20 Arkansas and No. 39 Michigan State tomorrow night in Birmingham, Ala. in a quad meet hosted by Elevate The Stage. Competition kicks off at 6:30 p.m. CT and FloGymnastics will provide live coverage.
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