Senior Alabama gymnast Rachel Rybicki was named to the 2026 Southeastern Conference Gymnastics Community Service Team, according to a March 19 announcement from the league office.
This recognition marks the second year in a row that Rybicki has been selected for the Community Service Team, highlighting her ongoing commitment to service efforts in the Tuscaloosa area, particularly within the Spanish-speaking community.
Rybicki has logged 55 volunteer hours at Flatwoods Elementary School, where she assisted with its English as a Second Language program and helped students bridge language gaps between English and Spanish. She also brought her elementary class to the team’s Crimson and White Preview meet in December 2025 for the second consecutive year, providing them with front-row seats. Throughout this season’s road meets, she collected complimentary hotel toiletries to distribute to her students at Flatwoods.
In addition to her work at Flatwoods Elementary, Rybicki volunteered at Halloween Extravaganza, an event where University of Alabama student-athletes host trick-or-treat activities for local children. She also helped organize the Alabama gymnastics program’s annual RISE Holiday Party, which invites preschool children from UA’s College of Human Environmental Sciences’ RISE Center to interact with gymnasts on each apparatus at Frances Smith Practice Facility.
Rybicki’s achievements extend beyond community service. She is a 2025 Elite 90 award winner, a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American for 2025, a three-time Scholastic All-American, and a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Her athletic accomplishments include career highs of 9.925 on floor exercise and 9.900 on balance beam. She also serves as an Alabama gymnastics representative on UA’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
The continued recognition of student-athletes like Rybicki underscores the importance placed on community involvement and academic excellence within collegiate athletics.
