University of North Carolina Athletics
Getting To Know You: Josselyn Mackey
December 24, 2014 | Women's Gymnastics
By Zoya Johnson, GoHeels.com
GoHeels: What is your hometown and home gym?
Josselyn Mackey: I am from Lee's Summit, Mo., which is right outside of Kansas City. My home gym is Mercury Gymnastics.
GoHeels: Tell us how you got into gymnastics, your experience in club and the lead up to your recruitment.
JM: I have been in gymnastics ever since I can remember. As I got older, I knew several girls who had gone on to college gymnastics and they all had nothing but great things to say about it. Many girls dream in club gymnastics to go to the Olympics, but mine was to compete in college gymnastics. My sophomore year I began sending videos to several colleges and I was lucky enough to catch Derek's eye.
GoHeels: How and why did you pick Carolina?
JM: The main reason I picked Carolina was because there was a balance between athletics and academics. I wanted to have fun doing gymnastics, while being able to focus on my future. I love the sport, but I know after these four years it will no longer be my life. I knew Carolina would be the place for me to discover what my life would be after gymnastics.
GoHeels: What is your favorite event and why?
JM: My favorite event is bars because I feel that it is different than the other three events. It is my favorite to do and my favorite to watch.
GoHeels: What about being a part of Carolina Gymnastics has been the most exciting thus far?
JM: My favorite thing about being a part of Carolina Gymnastics is my team. They have become my best friends as well as my family. I know the relationships I have made here will last a life time. I wouldn't trade that for the world.
GoHeels: What about being a part of the Carolina athletics community makes you most proud?
JM: I am proud to be part Carolina athletics because we get to be an example for kids. I see the little girls looking up to us, and I know exactly how they feel. When I was little, I loved going to college meets. I am so excited that I get to be the role model now.
GoHeels: What is your favorite class and professor and why?
JM: My favorite class was a poetry class I took with Gabby. I am most definitely not a poet but she made the class so fun and interesting. Gabby was always so interested in mine and each of my classmates lives outside of the classroom.
GoHeels: What is your favorite sporting event to go to and why?
JM: My favorite sporting event to go to is volleyball. It is so fast paced and high energy.
GoHeels: What is your “Favorite” body by Biener exercise? (Eric Biener is the team's strength and conditioning coach)
JM: My favorite body by Biener exercise is the band walks we do. They work your gluteus and I'd do anything to get a step closer to a Beyoncé body.
GoHeels: What are you looking forward to accomplishing while at Carolina?
JM: I am looking forward to making a lifetimes worth of memories. I hope to be in the top 25 teams this year and make a new name for Carolina Gymnastics. Twenty years from now I want to get together with my teammates and look back on our time here and have no regrets. I hope we laugh till we cry when we think about all the silly things we did.
GoHeels: What events do you think you will be competing this year?
JM: I train vault, bars, and beam and I would love to compete on all three this year.
GoHeels: Tell us something about yourself you think people would be surprised to find out.
JM: I can name all the presidents in order.
GoHeels: What is your favorite Carolina memory thus far?
JM: My favorite memories are the bus trips we take to meets. We always have a great time telling stories and before the road trip is over we all have six packs from laughing so hard.
Players Mentioned
