Heiner Named 2023-24 Northrip Endowed Scholarship Recipient

NORMAL, Ill. – Each year a deserving Illinois State gymnastics student-athlete is selected to receive the Rob & Nancy Northrip Endowed Scholarship at Illinois State, and this year junior Julia Heiner was chosen for the honor by Redbird head coach Bob Conkling.

"Julia has been a model student-athlete and leads by example in and out of the gym," Conkling stated. "She has been a consistent competitor on bars for the team these past couple years and looks to continue to contribute on that event again this year with an even stronger routine.  Her work ethic and dedication to the team is the main reason she was selected as the recipient of the Northrip Scholarship this year. I would like to personally thanks Rob and Nancy Northrip for their continual support of the Redbird Gymnastics program." 

Rob & Nancy Northrip Endowed Scholarship Recipient // Julia Heiner / Jr. / Ellicott City, Maryland
Heiner competed in all 11 meets for the Redbirds on bars in 2023, helping ISU to its first Midwest Independent Conference Championship in over a decade. She posted career-best scores of 9.850 twice on the season, once against Lindenwood and second in a tri-meet against Bowling Green and Centenary. Heiner also tallied a 9.750 on bars at the prestigious Metroplex Challenge, which featured nationally ranked opponents in Utah, Georgia and Illinois.

The Northrip Scholarship was established in 2009 by Nancy and Rob Northrip for female student-athletes majoring in education, with a preference for gymnasts. Nancy lettered in gymnastics for the Redbirds and Rob was a Redbird cheerleader. The scholarship is awarded annually to a junior female student-athlete.

This endowed scholarship is among 30 available to Illinois State student-athletes that are funded by private donors. For more information about establishing or contributing an endowed scholarship, please call the Weisbecker Athletic Fund office at (309) 438-3636.

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