Ben Zaiser

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Class: Junior Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa. High School: home school

Height: 5-3 Event: FX, SR, V, PB

SOPHOMORE YEAR (2012): USAG national champion on the vault...scored a 14.600 to finish first at the national meet...claimed USAG All-America honors for the second straight year...also placed first on the vault against Illinois-Chicago and Arizona State...scored a season-high 14.750 at Nebraska to lead the Falcons...that mark is an Academy standard under the new scoring guidelines for the vault...holds at least a share of four of the program's top-five all-time scores...earned a top-10 finish on that event at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships (14.600)...also competed on the still rings in every team competition...recorded a career-best score of 14.600 during the Falcons' dual with Illinois-Chicago...participated on the floor exercise during seven meets, including the USAG Championships (team finals) and the MPSF Championships...scored a career-high 14.200 in the meet against Minnesota.

FRESHMAN YEAR (2011): USAG All-American on the vault...scored a 15.500 to finish fifth at the USAG National Championships...competed on the vault in 12 meets...recorded a career-best score of 15.600 during five competitions...first tallied that score at Nebraska...posted that score in four consecutive meets (at Illinois-Chicago Quad, at Brockport, at Springfield, against Washington)...that mark is the eighth-best score in Academy history...won the vault titles at Nebraska and during the Falcons' regular season finale against Washington.

HIGH SCHOOL/CLUB: Was home schooled...passed AP tests in chemistry, statistics, physics and Calculus AB...two-time USAG Academic All-American...competed at the club level for Pittsburgh Northstars...coached by Scott Carslaw...participated at the 2009 Nationals in Cincinnati...four-time national qualifier...placed second on the pommel horse at the 2008 state championships...received the Greg Young Award, which goes to someone who shows respect to the coaches.

PERSONAL: Full first name is Benjamin, but goes by Ben...nickname is Benji...son of Barry and Kim Zaiser...has one older sister, Bekah, who was a 2010 All-American gymnast at Florida...also has an older brother, Aaron, who is a 2011 graduate of the Academy and former member of the men's gymnastics team...majoring in civil engineering...future plans include becoming a pilot...served as Security NCO...named to the Athletic Director's List for excellence in academic performance...hobbies include paintball and rock climbing...spent part of the summer at Osan AFB, South Korea, with the Field Engineering Readiness Laboratory (FERL)...also served as Element Leader during the first session of Basic Cadet Training and took Biology 315...favorite event is the vault, because "I'm good at it"...member of Cadet Squadron 12.