Student Athlete of the Week: Nia Terrell

The admiration gymnast Nia Terrell's teammates have for their senior leader is abundant.

As Niwot High School entered its final event at the Class 4A team state gymnastics championships on Nov. 4, all anyone in green and white wanted to do was ensure that Terrell's prep career would end on a high note. Niwot was in the mix for a top-three finish and the Cougars just needed a strong performance on floor, Terrell's only event of the day, at host Thornton High School.

Niwot delivered.

Freshman Lilly O'Neill and sophomores Clair Vardas and Maeve Flentie all scored above a 9.0 while Terrell was given an 8.525 in her ultimate showing. The final push, which also included a near-9.0 from Kylee Schlepp and Isabella Foster's 8.600, was enough to secure Niwot a third-place overall team finish.

"The girls said that on floor they wanted to go out there and we did it all for Nia tonight so that she could leave having this great experience," said head coach Marisa Purcell.

Wiping away a few tears, Terrell said it was an incredible experience wrapping up her career in a special fashion.

"There are a lot of emotions right now," Terrell said. "It's a lot of joy, it's a lot of sadness. I've been here all four years and we've built such a strong team each year and it's just a strong connection. It's a really good feeling when you land it for the last time and then that's it, it's crazy."

She was perhaps most grateful for her teammates, most of whom are either freshmen or sophomores. Terrell was Niwot's only competing senior at state and she took immense pride in helping guide her younger teammates throughout the season.

"It feels amazing because for me, it means a lot to be one of their leaders," Terrell said. "We had a super young team this year and it meant a lot to me to watch them grow, to watch them get better, and to guide them to their best and to be able to watch them at their best. It was the best feeling going out with a bang."

While Niwot's youth doesn't lack talent, there were likely several question marks heading into the season. Many of the Cougars were navigating high school competition for the first time and that yielded some uncertainty. Terrell embraced the challenging role she was given though, and was soon rewarded. "Honestly, I've never been more impressed," Terrell said.

"I've never been more proud just to watch them come into themselves and come into their gymnastics and believe in themselves and do the best that they could possibly do. (It's) absolutely the best feeling ever and the best thing to watch."