Tai Gopaul

Photo by: Ray Bahner

Class:
Senior
Squadron:
22 Raptors
Hometown:
Buffalo Grove, Ill.
Height:
5-9
High School:
Adlai E Stevenson
Club Team:
Lakeshore Academy

SENIOR YEAR | 2026: Team captain.

JUNIOR YEAR | 2025: NCAA finalist on the high bar…claimed USAG All-America and all-conference honors on that event…competed on the high bar in every competition…scored a career-best, team-high 13.600 during the team finals of the USAG Collegiate Nationals…scored a 13.350 to win the triangular meet with Army West Point and Simpson…also surpassed the 13-point mark at the All-Academy Championships (13.150), Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships (13.300) and in the event finals of the NCAA Championships (13.033)…competed in the all-around at the NCAA National Qualifier (76.531)…made season-debut in the vault at that meet…tallied a personal-best 13.050 to help Air Force in the home victory over California…also accounted for personal-best marks on the floor exercise (13.350, Rocky Mountain Open) and still rings (12.950, MPSF Championships) during meets at the Academy…posted a personal-best 13.275 to help Air Force to three of the top-four scores on the parallel bars in the win at the All-Academy Championships.

SOPHOMORE YEAR | 2024: Member of the Falcons’ lineup in nine meets…set personal-best marks on the floor exercise (13.850) and still rings (13.340) at the Rocky Mountain Open…added a career-best score of 13.450 on the parallel bars at the All-Academy Championships…collected top-eight finishes on the rings (13.200, fifth) and parallel bars (13.350, eighth) at the USAG Collegiate Nationals to help Air Force to its first team title in four championship meets…earned top-three finishes on the floor exercise (13.350, second) and still rings (13.250, third) in the Falcons’ win over Simpson.

FRESHMAN YEAR | 2023: Competed in five meets…recorded career-best marks on the vault (14.400) and floor exercise (12.750) in collegiate debut at the Rocky Mountain Open…added personal-best marks on the pommel horse (13.150), and high bar (12.900) during a triangular meet with Army West Point and California…also earned runner-up honors on the vault (14.300) at that meet…tallied a career-high 14.050 on the still rings at the All-Academy Championships…earned MPSF Freshman of the Week honors once.

BEFORE USAFA: Graduated from Adlai E. Stevenson High School…competed at the club level for Lakeside Academy (Mount Prospect, Illinois)…coached by Arkadi Andryushchenko…two-time Illinois state champion in the all-around (2021, 2022)…also claimed the Region 5 all-around title in 2022.

PERSONAL: Full name is Tai Isiah Gopaul…son of Jason and Nicole Gopaul…father was a member of the football and basketball teams at the University of Toronto…has one younger brother, Devin, who is a freshman at Air Force and member of the men’s gymnastics team…majoring in civil engineerin…future plans include becoming a pilot…named to the Athletic Director’s List…hobbies include watching football (specifically the Chicago Bears) and fishing…served as cadre for the Field Engineering and Readiness Laboratory (FERL) over the summer…member of Cadet Squadron 22.