DeKalb — Junior gymnast Anna Martucci was named the Mid-American Conference Specialist of the Year Saturday at the MAC Championships for the floor routine. Martucci is the second consecutive NIU gymnast to take home Specialist of the Year honors, following Jamyra Carter in 2017.

“Jamyra Carter set the tone last year and received this award,” Martucci said. “It was a great ride with the girls and a fun season. It’s a really good feeling.”

Martucci accumulated a score of 9.900 or higher eight times this season on the floor exercise. Her high scores added up to eight first place and two second place finishes over the course of the season.

“I wanted to have a good ranking on floor because I knew the potential was there,” Martucci said. “It was my goal on floor to be ranked top three in the MAC. A few weeks in when my bars routine wasn’t exceptional, my focus switched, and I thought this was something I was capable of.”

Head Coach Sam Morreale said Martucci winning Specialist of the Year is not much of a surprise.

“It was really great to see,” Morreale said, according to NIU Media Services. “[Martucci] getting Specialist of the Year was almost a no-brainer based on her eight scores over 9.900.”

Martucci earned the MAC Specialist of the Week honors four times before being named Specialist of the Year.

“I felt like my odds were pretty good with the success I had with the weekly awards,” Martucci said. “I didn’t want to assume anything though. It’s easier to expect the worst and hope for the best. When they said my name, it was a great feeling.”

Martucci will join senior teammates Ashley Potts and Katherine Prentice at the NCAA Regionals 4 p.m. April 8 at the University of Alabama.

“The hard work and emotion that everyone puts in has been key factors toward my success,” Martucci said. “I think it’s a really great honor. I’m humbled and honored.”