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AT ILLINOIS
2012 - Junior: Competed at the NCAA National Championships in the all-around, becoming the 10th individual NCAA qualifier in school history ... Advanced to the national meet by winning the all-around at the NCAA Champaign Regional with a career-high 39.450, making her just the second all-around regional champion in school history ... Also tied for first on beam at the regional with a career-high 9.900, becoming just the second Illini ever to win multiple regional titles, sharing that honor with Nancy Thies, who won a combined seven crowns from 1976-77 ... Second-team All-Big Ten selection ... Tallied nine scores over 39 in the all-around, which included two of the top-10 scores in school history with a personal-best 39.450 (No. 5) and a 39.425 (No. 8) ... Ranked second on the team with 14 individual titles and 42 top-five finishes ... Hit 48-of-53 routines, including all 13 on vault and beam ... Also set career highs on vault (9.875) and floor (9.900) ... Was named the team's Most Outstanding Gymnast and co-Most Consistent Beam ... Academic All-Big Ten selection.
2011 - Sophomore: Earned second-team All-America honors on floor after tying for eighth at the NCAA Championships ... Competed in the all-around at 13 meets, including at nationals, and tallied a season-best 39.250 at the State of Illinois Classic ... Hit 47-of-52 routines ... Won the first three event titles of her career, with two on bars and one in the all-around ... Posted a season-best 9.800 on vault at nationals and tallied season highs on beam (9.850) and floor (9.875) ... Hit all four routines at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional, helping the squad earn its second national bid ... Named the team's Most Improved Gymnast ... Academic All-Big Ten selection.
2010 - Freshman: Competed in the all-around for the first time in her career at the NCAA Central Regional, scoring a 39.050 and placing seventh overall ... Tied for fourth on beam at the NCAA Central Regional by tying her season high with a 9.800 ... Stepped in as a replacement for the injured Fernandez on balance beam at the Big Ten Championships and set a season-high 9.800 on the event ... Posted a career-best 9.925 on uneven bars at the State of Illinois Classic, which tied the sixth-best mark in school history ... Competed on uneven bars in the final 11 meets of the season, scoring over 9.700 eight times ... Exhibitioned nine times on beam and eight times on floor exercise.
High School/Club: Five-time Junior Olympic National Qualifier ... Placed 13th in the all-around and tied for seventh on floor at JO Nationals in 2009 ... Three-time Region VII bar champion and two-time Regional all-around and floor champion, both most recently in 2009 ... 2009 New Jersey State bar and beam champion ... Finished 11th in the all-around at 2008 JO Nationals ... JO National Team member in 2005 ... 2004 Elite National qualifier ... Competed for Arena Gymnastics ... Club coaches were Valdi and Ann Kolasa.
Personal: Born Jan. 9, 1991 ... Daughter of Elena Weinstein ... Says she chose Illinois because "it was the perfect combination of academics and athletics and when I visited it felt like it was home." ... Sister, Lili, was a member of the swim team at Brandeis University ... Majoring in communications.
Alina's Career Highs
Vault: 9.875 (3/2/12)
Bars: 9.925 (3/20/10)
Beam: 9.900 (4/7/12)
Floor: 9.900 (2/19/12)
All-Around: 39.450 (4/7/12)
Individual Titles
Vault: 3
Bars: 5
Beam: 2
Floor: 1
All-Around: 6
Total: 17
The Weinstein File
Nickname: Leansie Beansie
Best memory as an Illini: In Alabama when the announcer said, "And in second place and heading to nationals...." It brings tears to my eyes watching the footage everytime.
Best part about Kenney Gym: Our brand new locker room
Being a Fighting Illini means: Bleeding orange and blue
Funniest teammate: Kelsey
Best dressed teammate: Sarah
Secret talent of one of my teammates: Elise can stick her fist in her mouth
Something I have to bring on every road trip: Green tea
Pre-meet superstitions: I always order salmon the night before
Favorite event: Floor
Favorite athlete: Fernando Torres (Chelsea)
Favorite Illini athlete: Daniel Ribeiro (Men's Gymnastics) and Nicole Denenberg (Women's Soccer)
Favorite all-time gymnast: Morgan Dennis
Favorite sports team: Manchester United
Favorite movie: Anchorman
Favorite TV show: Entourage
Favorite food: Sushi
Favorite cereal: Golden Grahams
Favorite ice cream: Green Tea
Favorite restaurant: Koi NYC
Favorite band: Dave Matthews Band
Mac or PC: Mac
Unique or quirky habit: Always have to have chapstick on
Celebrity I look like: Natalie Portman
Cartoon character that best describes me: Chuckie from Rugrats
Super power I would most like to have: Spit hot fire
What I make most often in the kitchen: Portobello Mushrooms
Person I would most like to spend a day with: Dave Matthews
If I was on a reality show it would be: Jersey Shore
One thing I can't go a day without: Coffee
Something most people don't know about me: I speak Russian
Three words that describe me are: Crazy, loud, outgoing
Career Plans: Work for an advertising firm and travel the world
Updated May 2012
