University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: John Lozano
Naranjo Shines As Gymnastics Records Highest Road Score At Stanford
January 31, 2025 | Women's Gymnastics
STANFORD, Calif. – Jessica Naranjo's career-high 9.925 on beam moved the sophomore up to fourth all-time in program history to cap off No. 23 North Carolina gymnastics' meet at No. 15 Stanford on Friday night at Maples Pavilion in Stanford, Calif.Â
The Tar Heels finished the meet with a team score of 195.775, their highest road mark this year. The Cardinal won the bicoastal Atlantic Coast Conference showdown with a final score of 197.25.
All-Around
Julia Knower earned a season-high 39.05 in the all-around to place second, eclipsing her previous season-best 38.95 against George Washington in UNC's home opener on Jan. 17. She earned marks of 9.675 on vault, 9.75 on bars, 9.775 on beam and 9.85 on floor. Bars and floor were both season-highs for the senior.
Rotation One – Bars (48.875)
Knower had the first routine of the meet with a 9.75 on bars. Neve King followed Knower with a 9.8 to match her career high from last week against NC State at home. Kaya Forbes went third and scored a 9.75 with Gwen Fink earning a 9.775 in the fourth slot. Isabelle Schaefer, last year's runner-up on this event at the ACC Championships, contributed another 9.8.
1. Julia Knower – 9.75
2. Neve King – 9.8
3. Kaya Forbes – 9.75
4. Gwen Fink – 9.775
5. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.8
6. Bella Miller – 9.725
UNC's 48.875 was its best bars score on the road this season, surpassing the 48.75 done in the season opener at Alabama. Stanford saw a 49.5 on bars.Â
Rotation Two – Vault (48.825)
N. King kicked off Carolina's second rotation with a 9.7. Schaefer found herself in the vault lineup for the first time this season and earned a 9.8. Knower tallied a 9.675 in the fourth position while JoJo Valahovic's 9.775 in the fifth slot also counted. Forbes rounded out the vault squad with a team-high 9.825 to match her season's best for the third time; the junior tied for third overall. Â
1. Neve King – 9.75
2. Elly King – 9.65
3. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.8Â
4. Julia Knower – 9.675
5. JoJo Valahovic – 9.775
6. Kaya Forbes – 9.825
The Tar Heels finished their vault rotation with a team score of 48.825. The Cardinal earned a cumulative mark of 49.25.
Rotation Three – Floor (48.975)
Naranjo got things going on floor with a strong 9.825 in the leadoff spot. Valahovic went next and her routine earned a career-high 9.875, erasing her previous best of 9.825 from two weeks ago en route to placing second. Fink's 9.725 in the third slot was a season high and Forbes went fourth and recorded a 9.7. Knower set a new season's best with a 9.85 going fifth to tie for third, bettering her 9.825 from the home opener.
1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.825
2. JoJo Valahovic – 9.875
3. Gwen Fink – 9.725
4. Kaya Forbes – 9.7
5. Julia Knower – 9.85
6. Bella Miller – 9.625
Exh. Elly King – 9.425
Carolina's 48.975 was its second highest floor rotation of the season and best on the road. Stanford totaled 49.3 on the event.Â
Rotation Four – Beam (49.1)
Naranjo led off UNC's fourth and final rotation with a career-high 9.925 – crushing her previous best of 9.875 from the 2024 ACC Championships – to finish second overall. The sophomore's score is now tied for fourth all-time in school history. Valahovic went second and scored a 9.825 while Fink tallied a 9.85 in the fourth spot to tie for third. Knower and McBride earned respective marks of 9.775 and 9.725 going fifth and sixth.Â
1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.925
2. JoJo Valahovic – 9.825
3. Taylor Schulze – 9.575
4. Gwen Fink – 9.85Â
5. Julia Knower – 9.775
6. Regan McBride – 9.725
Exh. Neve King – 9.8
The Tar Heels saved their best performance for last as the team earned a 49.1 on beam, their second highest so far in 2025. The Cardinal had a slight edge with a 49.2.Â
Up Next
The 23rd-ranked Tar Heels return to Chapel Hill for their third home meet of the season on Sunday, Feb. 9, against Clemson. Action starts at 3:45 p.m. ET inside Carmichael Arena and the meet will broadcast nationally on ACC Network. Tickets are available for purchase here.
Stay up to date with UNC women's soccer by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Tar Heels finished the meet with a team score of 195.775, their highest road mark this year. The Cardinal won the bicoastal Atlantic Coast Conference showdown with a final score of 197.25.
All-Around
Julia Knower earned a season-high 39.05 in the all-around to place second, eclipsing her previous season-best 38.95 against George Washington in UNC's home opener on Jan. 17. She earned marks of 9.675 on vault, 9.75 on bars, 9.775 on beam and 9.85 on floor. Bars and floor were both season-highs for the senior.
Rotation One – Bars (48.875)
Knower had the first routine of the meet with a 9.75 on bars. Neve King followed Knower with a 9.8 to match her career high from last week against NC State at home. Kaya Forbes went third and scored a 9.75 with Gwen Fink earning a 9.775 in the fourth slot. Isabelle Schaefer, last year's runner-up on this event at the ACC Championships, contributed another 9.8.
1. Julia Knower – 9.75
2. Neve King – 9.8
3. Kaya Forbes – 9.75
4. Gwen Fink – 9.775
5. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.8
6. Bella Miller – 9.725
UNC's 48.875 was its best bars score on the road this season, surpassing the 48.75 done in the season opener at Alabama. Stanford saw a 49.5 on bars.Â
Rotation Two – Vault (48.825)
N. King kicked off Carolina's second rotation with a 9.7. Schaefer found herself in the vault lineup for the first time this season and earned a 9.8. Knower tallied a 9.675 in the fourth position while JoJo Valahovic's 9.775 in the fifth slot also counted. Forbes rounded out the vault squad with a team-high 9.825 to match her season's best for the third time; the junior tied for third overall. Â
1. Neve King – 9.75
2. Elly King – 9.65
3. Isabelle Schaefer – 9.8Â
4. Julia Knower – 9.675
5. JoJo Valahovic – 9.775
6. Kaya Forbes – 9.825
The Tar Heels finished their vault rotation with a team score of 48.825. The Cardinal earned a cumulative mark of 49.25.
Rotation Three – Floor (48.975)
Naranjo got things going on floor with a strong 9.825 in the leadoff spot. Valahovic went next and her routine earned a career-high 9.875, erasing her previous best of 9.825 from two weeks ago en route to placing second. Fink's 9.725 in the third slot was a season high and Forbes went fourth and recorded a 9.7. Knower set a new season's best with a 9.85 going fifth to tie for third, bettering her 9.825 from the home opener.
1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.825
2. JoJo Valahovic – 9.875
3. Gwen Fink – 9.725
4. Kaya Forbes – 9.7
5. Julia Knower – 9.85
6. Bella Miller – 9.625
Exh. Elly King – 9.425
Carolina's 48.975 was its second highest floor rotation of the season and best on the road. Stanford totaled 49.3 on the event.Â
Rotation Four – Beam (49.1)
Naranjo led off UNC's fourth and final rotation with a career-high 9.925 – crushing her previous best of 9.875 from the 2024 ACC Championships – to finish second overall. The sophomore's score is now tied for fourth all-time in school history. Valahovic went second and scored a 9.825 while Fink tallied a 9.85 in the fourth spot to tie for third. Knower and McBride earned respective marks of 9.775 and 9.725 going fifth and sixth.Â
1. Jessica Naranjo – 9.925
2. JoJo Valahovic – 9.825
3. Taylor Schulze – 9.575
4. Gwen Fink – 9.85Â
5. Julia Knower – 9.775
6. Regan McBride – 9.725
Exh. Neve King – 9.8
The Tar Heels saved their best performance for last as the team earned a 49.1 on beam, their second highest so far in 2025. The Cardinal had a slight edge with a 49.2.Â
Up Next
The 23rd-ranked Tar Heels return to Chapel Hill for their third home meet of the season on Sunday, Feb. 9, against Clemson. Action starts at 3:45 p.m. ET inside Carmichael Arena and the meet will broadcast nationally on ACC Network. Tickets are available for purchase here.
Stay up to date with UNC women's soccer by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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