Sarah Moraw graduated from the University of Minnesota early, but wanted one more year of fun with her gymnastics team.
But the year hasn’t been easy with everything that has happened in Minneapolis this year with shootings, protests and more.
It has made everything more difficult for the West Ottawa graduate and her team, but her mindset is helping her through the tough times and getting her to big scores on the balance beam.
“It is really about just trying to be a light in a world where all of this craziness is going on,” Moraw said. “It has been really heartbreaking and puts things in a real perspective. The shootings have been right next to campus. There is an added level of fear, especially for women on campus. But it affects more than just us.
“There is a sense of unity of in our community for the most part. But it was just such a shock at first because it was right down the road. There is the added stress of being aware of our surroundings with helicopters and police cars everywhere when we are trying to get to a meet or to class. But ultimately it is so sad that we have had lives lost.”
It has made it difficult to focus on gymnastics, or anything else at times for Moraw and her teammates. But ultimately, they have big goals they are aiming for.
Moraw won the Big Ten title in the balance beam as a sophomore. She has focused on the beam and vault since arriving in Minnesota.
“It has been going really well. Definitely hitting all the feels of the senior year. Trying to enjoy every single moment with the team,” Moraw said. “It is not as much physical as it was mental for me. We have been doing a lot of these skills for years and we are kind of on autopilot in that way. College gymnastics is focused on execution. You need to be as close to perfect as possible.”
Olympian Jordan Chiles has been perfect a few times this season for UCLA, scoring a handful of perfect 10s and adding the excitement to the Big Ten.
“The expansion of the Big Ten created another level of competition and that is exciting,” Moraw said. “This has been fun for the Big Ten. We have a lot of teams in the top 10 and it has been cool to have that stage elevated. It is definitely crazy going coast to coast with competitions and time changes and everything.”
Moraw graduated in 2025 with a degree in human resource development. Now she is in her first of two years in a masters program at Minnesota in human resources and industrial relations.
“I have an internship this summer that I am really excited about at KeHe Care. It is about finding resources in businesses can help with philanthropy and making a difference in people’s lives,” she said. “That has been pulling on my heart for a while.”
The Golden Gophers have been ranked most of the season and are looking for a big finish.
“Overall, the season is going really well. We have a lot of talent, both new and returning which has been exciting,” she said. “We are hungry together, and that is really exciting. We have our hearts set on nationals. We have been close the past couple of seasons. We have to push our way in and we know we have it in us.”
Moraw is looking for the big finish, too.
“I would love to run back that beam title,” Moraw said. “I definitely have the physicality of it, so it is all about who is on – not holding anything back.”
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Sarah Moraw ‘trying to be a light’ for Minnesota gymnastics amid Minneapolis turmoil
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
