The interview below was conducted in October 2008.

How do you like it at UNC, both in the gym and academically?
"I love the atmosphere both in the gym and in the classroom here at UNC because I feel our goals are all similiar; we all want to suceed to the best of our ability. We have a great group of girls on the gymnastics team, we each add a unique quality to the team which I believe makes us one of the most talented teams in NCAA gymnastics. It feels great to be a part of a team who is committed, dedicated, and works hard together to accomplish a unanimous goal. Academics can be a challenge sometimes considering UNC is known for their academics, but as long as I keep organized and stay on top of my studies I am able to give 100%."

Was it a big adjustment for you to move away from home and start college?
"It wasn't really a huge adjustment moving away from home to start college because throughout my elite career I not only traveled far for competitions without my parents but I also moved away from home several times to train for a few months. I am a family person so that is always hard to get used to living with just you and your roommate instead of having your whole family there to interact with and your parents to make you home-cooked meals, haha!"

What are some differences between club gymnastics and college gymnastics?
"The major difference I noticed between club gymnastics and collegiate gymnastics is that at college we all share the same goal so we all strive to accomplish these goals for the team rather than individually. The atmosphere is more positive in college because we know we benefit from each other if we work as a team and help one another out."

What are your short-term and long-term goals?
"My short term goals are to get back my endurance for each of my routines, to clean up my form overall, and to hit all my handstands on bars. My long term goals are to make NCAA Nationals as a team this season and continue to participate in that competition throughout my college gymnastics career. I also want to be an NCAA champion on floor and vault."

Describe your best memory from your first year of college.
"My best memory from my first year of college would have to be when our team got stuck at Charlotte airport on our way back from a Pittsburgh meet. Our flight was supposed to take off at 10pm but it kept getting delayed because our pilot was stuck in Chicago in a snowstorm. Basically our flight became 'indefinitely delayed' until we took off at 2pm. Well, during those 4 hours our team got creative and we found 12 wheelchairs and had wheelchair races, wheelchair bumper cars, and we found an inclined flat escalator thing which we drove our wheelchairs down AND on top of it all, our coach videotaped it all! I have never laughed so much in my life!"

It seems like the UNC gymnastics team gets along very well. What do you think keeps everyone so close?
"I think the reason our team is so close is because we have amazing coaches. Derek and Penny recruit gymnasts that will fit in with the program they have created; one of determination, commitment, and a pure love for the sport. Each one of his gymnasts share these values and we truly care about the success of the team as a whole."

What is your favorite class that you have taken so far at UNC and why?
"My favorite class that I have taken so far at UNC is DRAM 150, which is Acting for Beginners. I had an amazing professor and group of talented students to work with. No matter what kind of day I was having, I looked forward to that class the most because I knew somehow someone was going to make me laugh. Also, Drama and Theater is my major so it was great to get a taste of what the demands of acting are."

What was it like coming back from a ACL injury? What kept you so motivated to come back?
"Well, it was one of the hardest injuries to accept and to deal with. I have had 6 surgeries altogether so I know the routine by heart now. In the past, most of my injuries were due to overuse and so I was more prepared to accept that something had to be done about it; but this just happened so fast and at the worst time ever when I was in such great shape to compete, so it was very difficult to look down that long road of 8 months without doing what I love the most and letting down my team. To tell you the truth, I was so pissed off that I took all my anger and used it as motivation to a speedy recovery. I was so determined to get healthy again, no doctor was gonna tell me I might never do gymnastics again."

How do you think the UNC gymnastics team will do in 2009? Are there any team goals?
"We have set high goals for this season; one main goal is to make NCAA Nationals and I think we can definitely achieve that because we have some really strong freshman added to our team this year! Our coaches have constructed a new practice schedule and different approaches to our gymnastics this season so we are definitely in better shape already then we were at this point last year. I have no doubt that we will achieve our goals for the season!"

After college, what do you see yourself doing?
"I have recently decided to double major since I have a fifth year here. I am going to major in both drama & theater and business. After college, I will hopefully be in LA or New York beginning my acting dream and if not I will most likely be interning on the business side of acting to get a different perspective in the field."