Junior Kiara Hockman of the SUNY Brockport gymnastics team was honored with her third National College Gymnastics Association (NCGA) East Specialist Gymnast of the Week award of the 2025-2026 season on February 25. Facing off against Utica at home, Hockman placed first in the vault, beam, and floor events. She earned a score of 9.825 on the vault, a 9.725 on the beam, and a 9.825 on the floor, in a win over the Pioneers on Senior Day.
“It was definitely very surreal and an honor, but I feel that it shows more about the depth and the talent of the entire Brockport Gymnastics Team,” Hockman said. “It isn’t just a reflection of me and my performance, but the support and talent of my team. I’m very honored to represent this team in any way possible, and I could not do any of this without them.”
While she appreciates the recognition from the NCGA, Hockman recognizes the subjectivity of her sport, which could make any outcome unpredictable. However, she remains unfazed regardless of the outcome, being proud through all the ups and downs of competition.
“Recognition from the NCGA is awesome, but in a sport like gymnastics, there is a lot of subjectivity,” Hockman said. “Scores and placing don’t always go your way, and that is okay. I have learned to be proud of my routines and performances regardless of the outcome. I have had a couple of great meets, and beyond my awards or scores, I am most proud of the routines I was able to compete to contribute to my team.”
Looking back on her successful season, Hockman highlights her beam routine at Eastern Michigan as a major confidence booster, setting a personal tone that continued to carry through into preparation for postseason competition.
“As far as the week I am most proud of, I would definitely say my meet at Eastern Michigan,” Hockman said. “I had a great beam routine that weekend, which was probably the best of my career. Having my teammates complete amazing routines before me helped me gain so much confidence and so did this routine. Completing a very solid beam routine that early in the season really helped me gain confidence in my new series. I definitely carried that with me the rest of the season.”
Going into the Utica dual meet, Hockman recognizes the rigorous preparation throughout the season that has helped her get to this moment. This, in combination with trusting herself and her team, set the stage for a strong win late in the season.
“We have honestly been preparing all season for the last few meets of the year and postseason,” Hockman said. “Going into this home meet, I was most excited to be competing at Brockport’s home gym for the first time in a while and getting to build with my team. It’s all about using your muscle memory and trusting the hard work we’ve put in so far, once we get to this point in the season. Knowing my teammates and I are well prepared for any challenge.”
As postseason competition grows closer, Hockman knows that Golden Eagle Gymnastics will continue to support each other. Their love and dedication to their craft will set them up for success, starting with the NCGA East Regional Meet.
“I feel confident knowing that my team has my back and I have my team’s back,” Hockman said. “It’s so rewarding to compete for a team with so much grit and fight. We have so much love for gymnastics that unifies us when we step out on the floor. I feel confident knowing that no matter what happens, my team will tackle it with confidence and grit. At this point, we’ve put it to work; it’s just time to show it off.”
One of Hockman’s biggest goals since setting foot on campus has been to win a national championship. Alongside her teammates, she is ready to compete for something bigger than herself.
“Winning a team national championship is not only doable but has been my biggest goal since stepping on campus,” Hockman said. “It’s so much more rewarding to watch your performance count for something bigger than yourself. I grew up in club gymnastics, where it is all about you. But the moment I saw the college gymnastics atmosphere; I fell in love with it. I fell in love with the idea of doing the sport I love for more than myself. It’s been the most rewarding experience of my life so far, and we aren’t done yet.”
Hockman and the rest of the Golden Eagles continued its dominance with a first-place finish in the NCGA East Regional Championship, Brockport Gymnastics’ sixth straight. The junior earned two gold medals with first places in vault with a 9.800 and on the floor with a 9.875. Five other Golden Eagles joined Hockman on the podium in various events which gave Brockport a total score of 193.675.
Hockman and the rest of Brockport Gymnastics will travel to Cortland, New York to try and continue their dominance in the NCGA National Championships. The Golden Eagles are scheduled to go for gold Friday, March 20 at 2 p.m.
