Chippewa Valley Times

Two former gymnasts from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire will be inducted into the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Hall of Fame. Julie Sugden (Hardtke) and Michaela McCamey-Metropulos are set to join the NCGA's Class of 2025 during a ceremony at the association's annual awards banquet on Friday night in Saint Peter, Minnesota. This event is part of the national championship festivities.

Sugden and McCamey-Metropulos will become the third and fourth representatives from UW-Eau Claire to enter the NCGA Hall of Fame.

Julie Sugden was a member of Eau Claire's gymnastics team from 1981 to 1985. She holds the distinction of being UW-Eau Claire’s first gymnastics national champion, having won the NCGA title on the balance beam in 1985. In that same year, she earned All-American honors on the vault, beam, and in all-around competition. Additionally, she finished ninth on the vault at nationals in 1984 and claimed victory as WWIAC champion in that event in 1982. Sugden was named Blugold Most Valuable Performer three times and was conference runner-up in all-around in 1985. Her accolades include receiving the team Most Inspirational award in 1983 and Hardest Worker award in 1985. A graduate of Mukwonago High School, Sugden completed her bachelor's degree at UWEC in 1985 and later earned a master's degree in nursing from Marquette University in 1991. She was inducted into UW-Eau Claire's Hall of Fame in 1994.

Michaela McCamey-Metropulos competed for UW-Eau Claire between 2011 and 2014. She became UW-Eau Claire’s fourth national champion by winning the balance beam title in 2012. During her collegiate career, she was a three-time All-American on the beam, earning this honor consecutively from 2012 through 2014. At nationals, she placed first on beam in 2012 and third both years following. Many of her scores remain among UWEC’s top performances more than ten years later. McCamey-Metropulos also achieved NCGA All-Academic recognition during her time as an athlete. She hails from Dayton, Ohio.

The NCGA Division III Gymnastics Hall of Fame was established in 2011 to honor outstanding athletes, coaches, and administrators who have shown exceptional ability within or supported Division III gymnastics.

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