Frankie Valentin

Photo by: Eric Miller, University of Minnesota

Photo by: Sarah Goldblum

Photo by: Craig Pessman, Illinois Athletics

Photo by: Della Perrone, Illinois Athletics

Class:
Senior
Events:
FX, PH, SR, V, PB, HB
Hometown:
East Hartford, Conn.
High School:
Two Rivers
Height:
5-6
Club Team:
Tri-Town Gymnastics

JUNIOR YEAR | 2020: USAG All-American (pommel horse)...Winter Cup qualifier...competed on the pommel horse during every meet of the shortened season...scored a team-leading mark of 13.750 to finish first at Army West Point...that is the 17th-best score in Academy history...also accounted for the team’s third-best score of the year (13.700) at the All-Academy Championships...became the 13th different Air Force gymnast to qualify to the Winter Cup Challenge after scoring a team-best score of 78.550 to finish fourth in all-around debut at the Rocky Mountain Open...added season-best scores on the floor exercise (13.500), parallel bars (12.000) and high bar (12.600) at that meet...member of the still rings rotation for all six team competitions...scored a season-high 13.250 at the All-Academy Championships...accounted for a season-high vault tally of 13.900 at the California Triangular...named to the MPSF All-Academic Team...earned CGA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors.

SOPHOMORE YEAR | 2019: Earned the team’s Most Valuable Gymnast award...USAG All-American on the pommel horse...NCAA finalist on the vault...NCAA qualifier on the floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings and vault...accounted for two of the Academy’s 10-highest scores on the vault...debuted on the top 10 with a winning 14.300 performance against Washington...improved that score to 14.400 during the team finals of the USAG Championships...that is the eighth-highest total in Academy history...added a career-high score of 13.400 to win the pommel horse during that meet...captured a pair of first-place finishes on the still rings...won that event during home meets against Army West Point (13.900) and Washington (13.850)...recorded career-best score of 14.100 to lead the Falcons (third) at Stanford...that is the 14th-highest total in program history...debuted on the Academy’s top 15 of the floor exercise after scoring a career-high 13.750 to finish third at the Penn State Triangular...accounted for the 20th-best high bar score in program history during a 13.600 performance at the All-Academy Championships...named to the MPSF All-Academic Team.

FRESHMAN YEAR | 2018: USAG All-American on the still rings...debuted on the Academy’s top-20 in three events...registered the 12th-highest still rings score in program history during a 13.900 performance at the All-Academy Championships (second)...also matched the Academy’s 15th-highest score (13.750) at the Rocky Mountain open and again during the team finals of the USAG Collegiate Nationals...was the top finisher in the team finals...tallied a 13.100 during the individual event finals to finish fifth and earn first USAG All-America award...registered a career-best 14.100 on the vault twice (at All-Academy Championships, at Illinois Triangular)...that is the 14th-highest score in program history...accounted for three additional top-20 marks on the vault...used that score to finish second at the All-Academy Championships...debuted at No. 15 on the program’s all-time floor exercise standings after posting a 13.750 at the Rocky Mountain Open...also competed on the pommel horse, scoring a personal-best mark of 13.150 during the team finals of the USAG Collegiate Nationals...competed on the high bar twice.

HIGH SCHOOL | CLUB TEAM: Two Rivers High School...member of the National Honor Society...competed at the club level for Tri-Town Gymnastics...coached by father, Frank Valentin...captured two titles (all-around, still rings) at the 2015 Junior Olympic National Championships (16-year-old division)...four-time Academic All-American.

PERSONAL: Full name is Franklin Noel Valentin Jr...goes by Frankie...nickname is “Frank”...son of Frank and Antonia Valentin...father served in the Army...has two older siblings (one sister, one brother)...majoring in civil engineering...future career plans include becoming a civil engineer...currently serving as Flight Commander...named to the Superintendent’s List for excellence in military, academic and athletic performance...attended the Academy’s Prep School...named to the Dean’s List with a 3.7 GPA...hobbies include filmmaking and photography...spent time with family over the summer...favorite event is the high bar, because “I love flying in the air”...member of Cadet Squadron 25.