SPRINGING INTO HISTORY
Story by Brock Bierman and Matt Van Winkle Images by Matt Van Winkle and ISU Athletics
Practice is about to begin inside Beyer Hall on the Iowa State
says Jay Ronayne, who is in his sixteenth season as the head
its season opening meet.
coach for the Iowa State gymnastics team. “It is just part of
Hip-hop music pulses and is in the air. On the wall, a sign reads “We are Cyclones” lined with flags – each one
her DNA.” Orrego grew up in the coastal South American city of Lima,
representing a student athlete’s home country: Spain, Peru,
the capital of Peru. From a young age, her parents encour-
Canada, Puerto Rico, England, Italy, the U.S., and Australia.
aged her to be active and get involved in an after-school
A stretching line forms under the flag of Peru – home to
46
“When she is determined to do something, she will do it,”
campus. The Cyclone gymnastics team is just days away from
activity.
redshirt senior Ariana Orrego. It’s a simple reminder of the
“They made me try all different kinds of sports,” says
country she made history for on the world stage before her
Orrego. “I think I tried everything. The one I liked the most
Cyclone journey even began.
was gymnastics – and I stuck to it.”
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