Each week, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) recognizes athletes by awarding them the Kwik Trip Athlete of the Week title for their respective sport. 

For the week of Feb. 9-15, UW-Eau Claire gymnast Meghan Dahlin received the “Specialist” honor for her balance beam performance. The award was determined by an anonymous vote from sports information directors and WIAC head coaches. 

Dahlin scored a 9.800 in back-to-back weeks, tying her career high on the balance beam during the team’s WIAC competition on Feb. 15 against Simpson College. Twice this year and three times throughout her career, Dahlin has achieved the second-highest beam score in program history.

Dahlin took first place in the event, and the Blugolds captured the highest team score in school history with 190.925 points.

On Feb. 19, the Blugolds broke that record again when they achieved a team score of 192.900, despite falling short to UW-Oshkosh.

Dahlin is a third-year psychology student. However, she said she is set to graduate early this spring, making this her last season on UW-Eau Claire’s gymnastics team. 

After graduating, Dahlin said she hopes to receive a master’s degree in sports management and eventually become a gymnastics coach.

Growing up in the small village of Holly, Mich., Dahlin said she began gymnastics when she was three years old. She said she’s loved the feeling of “flipping around” ever since she was little, but her coaches are what kept her going all these years.

“They were so inspirational,” Dahlin said. “Them pushing me to realize that I have potential, that I can do this and I can keep going and do it in college — I think that’s what really helped me continue and love the sport.”

Dahlin said that UW-Eau Claire Head Gymnastics Coach Jessie DeZiel drew her to compete as a Blugold. She said she immediately fell in love with the campus, team and welcoming environment.

During her time as a gymnast at the University of Nebraska, DeZiel was named a nine-time All-American and two-time Big Ten Champion, along with many other individual awards. She has also worked with Team USA Gymnastics on the Athlete Selection Committee since 2020 in addition to coaching.

Dahlin said that she has been primarily competing on the balance beam during her time at UW-Eau Claire, trying to perfect those skills more and more each season. However, she said the biggest lesson she’s learned from her coaches is that it’s okay to not be perfect every time.

“In the sport of gymnastics, you’re always kind of taught to be perfect, so I feel like that’s something that I’ve definitely struggled with throughout my career, but [my coaches] have definitely helped me with that,” Dahlin said.

Dahlin said she calls her Blugold teammates her “best friends,” and they simultaneously challenge and inspire one another.

“Seeing how hard each and every one of them work in and out of the gym every single day truly inspires me, and I know it inspires the entire team to just be better  — not only at gymnastics but just better people in general,” Dahlin said.

Dahlin said the team practices about 20 hours per week. In terms of balancing gymnastics with school, she said time management is vital, but her coaches understand that school comes first.

“[The coaches are] putting just as much work into our assignments and making sure that we are doing okay, not just in gymnastics but also in life as a person,” Dahlin said. “They challenge us even with our assignments, and sometimes it seems chaotic and so hard, but it’s so worth it in the end.” 

According to Dahlin, another challenge she has faced as a gymnast is her chronic knee injury. She said she has learned when to push through the pain and when to take breaks, but her love for the sport and her team keeps her motivated.

In terms of receiving the Athlete of the Week award, Dahlin said being noticed and acknowledged for her efforts is very meaningful.

Fourth-year business administration student Georgia Guynn has been teammates with Dahlin for the past three seasons. She said Dahlin is a hardworking gymnast and a fun person to be around.

“I think she should’ve been awarded a long time ago,” Guynn said. “She’s just always had those amazing routines since her freshman year.”

Dahlin said some of her favorite memories with her teammates include breaking their team record on senior night this year as well as playing sand volleyball on the beach together, even though they’re “awful” at it. 

Dahlin said she hopes to cherish every last moment she has as a Blugold.

“Truly it’s been absolutely amazing, and I have loved the experience and the excitement and the community that I’ve gotten from the team,” Dahlin said.

The Blugolds compete next at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27 at UW-La Crosse. This is their last competition before the WIAC Championships on Saturday, March 7, in Winona, Minn.

Matczak can be reached at [email protected].