Ella Eovaldi has done it again. Already the only Wildkit to have qualified for State three times in girls gymnastics history, the senior gymnast continued to add to her legacy with a 4th-place finish at State for uneven bars, the highest-ever finish in program history.

“It feels good to show the judges that Evanston is capable of getting high scores at State,” said Eovaldi.

It wasn’t easy for Eovaldi to reach State. Her initial goal was to qualify for four events, and although she only made it for bars, this allowed her to put everything she had into this event.

This focus definitely paid off. On the first day, Eovaldi scored a 9.35, which was enough to advance to the State finals. On day two, she shined with a 9.5 on her final routine as a Wildkit.

Eovaldi faced several challenges at State to achieve these scores. Along with the nerves that come with competing at a high level, she also dealt with an illness on the morning of day one. Despite this, she was able to overcome it and perform to her elite standards.

“I’m just gonna pretend I’m not sick right now so I don’t have to think about that,” said Eovaldi on her mindset on her first day at State.

Eovaldi has grown significantly as a gymnast from her first State appearance to now, both physically and mentally. She credited her coaches for improving her skills and highlighted the impact of frequent mental health workshops in helping her succeed at State.

“I feel like that really helped my State performance because it made me stop thinking about all the other factors,” said Eovaldi on these workshops. “The fact that I was sick, I can’t control that. The fact that all these other really good girls were going and getting amazing scores, I also can’t control that. I can only control what I can do.”

With this successful end to her high school career, many, such as Head Coach Michael Specack, have said that Eovaldi will be remembered as one of the greatest ETHS gymnasts of all time. However, she also hopes to be remembered for her connection to her teammates.

“The scores will come if everyone bonds together. So I hope that my legacy of creating a closer-knit group and a more cohesive group is what sticks,” explained Eovaldi.

No matter how Eovaldi’s legacy is defined, her place in the record books is undeniable. Ella Eovaldi is a history-maker, and her historic performance at State will be remembered for a long time in Evanston.