Jade Carey Wins The AAI Award, ‘Gymnastics' Heisman Trophy'

Forbes

16-04-2025

CORVALLIS, OREGON - JANUARY 11: Jade Carey of the Oregon State Beavers prepares to compete on the ... More vault at Gill Coliseum on January 11, 2025 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by)
On Tuesday, three-time Olympic medalist Jade Carey added another title to her extensive trophy case. The Oregon State gymnast was named the 2025 AAI Award Winner, an honor often considered the 'Heisman Trophy of Women's Gymnastics.'
Initiated in 1982 and facilitated by American Athletic Inc., the AAI Award 'recognizes the top senior female gymnasts in the nation for their dedication, leadership, and excellence in the sport.' Nominated initially alongside more than fifty fellow athletes, Carey's name rose to the top.
Carey received the award Monday at a banquet for the upcoming NCAA National Championships in Fort Worth, Texas. Five of her fellow NCAA competitors joined her, accepting honors as finalists for the esteemed award.
Along with Carey – a two-time Olympic Champion – the six finalists included four Olympic athletes and a pair of star seniors from the Oklahoma Sooners gymnastics team.
Carey's Olympic teammate, Utah's Grace McCallum, was among the final six nominated for the award. They were also joined by 2020 and 2024 Olympic alternate and entrepreneur Leanne Wong (Florida).
As the AAI Award recipient, American Athletic designates Carey as the "most outstanding senior collegiate female gymnast in the country." With her win, Carey joins Oregon State greats Mary Ayotte-Law (1982), Joy Selig (1991) and Chari Knight (1994) as the only AAI Award winners in program history.
In her final year as an NCAA athlete, Carey has continued breaking records on and off the mat. Her gymnastics ability and unmatched consistency are unrivaled. After three impeccable seasons for the Beavers, Carey managed to raise the bar in her final year as a college athlete.
AUBURN, ALABAMA - JANUARY 24: Jade Carey of the Oregon State Beavers competes on the floor during a ... More meet against the Auburn Tigers at Neville Arena on January 24, 2025 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by)
Carey racked up 51 event titles in 2025, winning the all-around and beam in every single appearance. In doing so, she became the first gymnast in Pac-12 history to win both the beam and all-around titles in every regular season competition.
Across her 52 routines competed, Jade never scored below 9.85 – an unprecedented feat of consistency. In gymnastics, her record was virtually perfect. She wasn't just consistent – she was flawless.
She scored a 9.9 or higher on 88% of routines in 2025, tallying 13 9.95s, 10 9.975s, and five perfect tens. On March 15, she logged the fourth-highest all-around score in NCAA history, a 39.925 – just .075 shy of a 'perfect 40.'
While the Oregon State Beavers ultimately failed to qualify as a complete team, she led the program to the 'Sweet Sixteen,' winning the regional all-around championship in the process. With her win, Carey booked a solo trip to Fort Worth to compete for individual national championships. She next takes to the floor on Thursday, April 17, where she seeks her first NCAA title after five trips to the podium.
CORVALLIS, OREGON - JANUARY 11: Jade Carey of the Oregon State Beavers smiles during a post-meet ... More huddle against the BYU Cougars at Gill Coliseum on January 11, 2025 in Corvallis, Oregon. (Photo by)
Though not as flashy as her sky-high tumbling and stuck landings, Carey's work off the mat is also of elite caliber. Oregon State Athletics reports that Carey has excelled in her studies as an Oregon State student.
Carey has logged a 4.0 on three occasions and nabbed a spot on the university honor roll seven times. In recognition of her academic achievements, Carey was named to the Pac-12 Honor Roll in 2023 and 2024.
Outside of her studies, Carey is a trailblazer in women's empowerment and athletic leadership on campus. Carey is a co-president of Oregon State's WomenLEAD chapter, an organization 'dedicated to empowering and uplifting female student-athletes.'
Oregon State reports that Carey, as co-president, was an architect behind an outreach event, 'Play Like A Girl.' Conducted on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the event aimed to cultivate girls' and women's sports in the local Corvallis community.
'Being a part of WomenLead fuels my passion for uplifting the voices of women in sports, building resilience, and celebrating our strength,' Carey said in a post from early 2025. 'OSU is filled with so many brave and strong leaders that I can't wait to continue to empower and support.'
On Thursday, Carey's illustrious NCAA career will come to a close. The senior will compete in the second of two semifinals in the 'Elite Eight' round, rotating with the defending National Champion No. 1 LSU Tigers at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
Though Carey has numerous accolades, including five top-three finishes on the NCAA podium, she has yet to win an NCAA title. Whether the elusive title comes on Thursday or not, the Olympic and World Champion's impact on Oregon State and the greater gymnastics community is worth its weight in gold.