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Winona State University’s gymnastics team has several talented athletes who have represented themselves at the national level. Among them, Taryn Sellner is one who displayed her wonderful talent in both the Beam and the Floor events. She is a regular performer for her team and an outstanding student.
Sellner has been an athlete from birth. She began gymnastics when she was only four years old. She came to know about the sport when her sister, Mikayla Sellner, had a gymnastics-themed birthday party. After being exposed to the party, she knew that she wanted to be a part of it, and now, she has been practicing gymnastics for 18 years.
Taryn’s sister is three years older than her and began gymnastics when Sellner was born. Sellner always sees her as her role model and follows in her footsteps. One of her main reasons for choosing Winona State was her sister, as she was an athlete here and a part of the gymnastics team.
When Taryn was a kid, her parents put her in dance and gymnastics which she continued to perform in for five years. Afterward, she was told to focus on just one of the sports, and while it was a difficult pick for her, she felt that she had a better bond with gymnastics.
Sellner started her career in club gymnastics and then moved to high school gymnastics at Mankato West High School. Due to a lack of skilled participants, she was given the chance to represent her high school when she was in just eighth grade. As if by fate, that was the first time her school made it to their state competition where she participated in all four of the events.
Due to her impressive records, it may seem that Sellner is an expert in all events, but like all other good athletes, she acknowledges her strengths and weaknesses. She applied to Winona State with the intent of only participating in the Beam and Floor, which are her strongest events. In her freshman year, she was given the opportunity to try each main event but after a few meets, she was designated as a beam and floor performer.
“Taryn is so consistent, and her lines are beyond perfect,” Fellow gymnast Ashley Roth said.
Sellner’s high school to university transition was smoother than others. She knew most of the players and coaches thanks to her sister, which also helped her focus on her studies and make friends.
While athletes get a lot of fame for their work, the territory can also come with injuries. Sellner sprained her ankle pretty badly in her second year of college which restricted her from performing. She was only able to show up three times throughout the entire season.
The best performance from Sellner was seen in her third year. After coming back from her injury, she made it to nationals on both Beam and Floor. She mentioned that it was a proud moment for her as she had her parents cheering for her on a big stage and has become a role model for her younger gymnasts.
“Taryn has been one of the largest role models to me so far in my college career,” Warrior Courtney Knutson said.
Alongside her athleticism, she is also an excellent student with a high GPA. She is currently majoring in Movement Science and minoring in Psychology. After graduation, she will attend graduate school for an occupational therapy program at Mount Mary University in Milwaukee.
Unlike other athletes, gymnasts do not go for early morning practice. Sellner mentioned that on weekdays, she has classes from nine in the morning until noon. After that, their practice begins and does not end until five in the evening.
Due to coming from an athletic family, Sellner had the preexisting habit of eating healthy. With healthy foods, Sellner also eats chips and chocolate as a part of her good diet. According to her, those provide an incentive to focus on both her sports and academics.
Sellner has always had her family’s support in her pursuit of gymnastics. Her parents are often there for her in the stands when she performs. From her current CGPA, Sellner is likely an outstanding student in her major and has a very high chance of once again making it to nationals for her ever-improving and always impressive performance in gymnastics.
