- Samantha Cerio was a former gymnast that competed for Auburn University until her career-ending injury in April 2019
- She was adopted at 14 months old from China by Mike Cerio and Becky Cerio
- Cerio is currently married to a naval officer, Joseph “Trey” Wood III, she met him while studying aerospace engineering at Auburn University
Samantha Cerio is a former collegiate gymnast and an aerospace engineer, born in China, and raised in the United States. She was adopted by Mike Cerio and Becky Cerio from an orphanage in China when she was 14 months old.
She played for the Auburn University gymnastic team before a terrible injury halted her career in 2019. The 29 year-old broke her left leg, tore multiple ligaments, and dislocated her both knees while performing her floor routine for Auburn University at NCCA regionals.
Cerio is currently married to a naval officer, Joseph “Trey” Wood III.
Early Life And Family Background Of Samantha Cerio
Samantha Cerio was born in 1996 in China. She spent the first 14 months of her infancy in a Chinese orphanage in Wuhu City in Anhui Province but grew up in Hunterville, North Carolina after she was adopted by Mike Cerio and Becky Cerio. She has a younger brother, Dominick Cerio who is 4 years younger, and was also adopted.
A born gymnast, the 29 year-old started showing that talent on the very first day her parents took her from the orphanage in China. At that point, it became clear to Mike and Becky that she has something to offer.
As a result of this, her parents decided to enroll in gymnastics. She became more intense when her brother Dominick was adopted from Orlando, Florida. The two became an item in the house, competing in everything they do, including house chores. Whenever she goes to her gymnastics meet, her younger brother was always there to watch.
Cerio attended Iredell High School where she was a 4-time JO National qualifier with a Top 10AA finish. After high school graduation, she was accepted into Auburn University in Alabama and majored in aerospace engineering. She graduated in 2019.
Samantha Cerio’s 2019 Injury Cut Short Her Collegiate Gymnastic Career
Before joining the gymnastics program of Auburn University, the gymnast caught the attention of elite gymnastics programs like Utah, Georgia, and Stanford. Even though Auburn is no match for these other elite programs, Cerio chose it over the rest because the school had an exceptional engineering program that she wanted to study.
She was accepted into the Auburn program after the head coach, Jeff Graba watched her at one of the gymnastics meets in Atlanta. She met his criteria of a strong performer and competitor.
After joining the Auburn gymnastics team, Cerio showed her talent in her freshman year, but she was outstanding in her sophomore year. In her senior season, the school’s gymnastics team reached the Baton Rouge regional as the No.14 in the US.
More so, she earned an individual qualification on bars at the nationals and didn’t look like stopping. In addition, she was an all-SEC Gynmnast and president of the Auburn Student-Athlete Advisory Council.
Unfortunately, while at the top of her game, the gymnast sustained an injury that prematurely ended her collegiate gymnastic career in 2019. She was severely injured while performing her floor routine at the NCAA regions. Her left leg was broken, both knees dislocated and had multiple torn ligaments.
Following a diagnosis after the injury, doctors said they had never seen anything like that. Also, it was rated on a scale of 4. After her recovery, she spent two months rehabilitating and learning how to work. She recovered quickly, attend her graduation, and got married to “Trey”.
The Former Auburn Gymnast Is Married To Naval Officer Joseph “Trey” Wood III
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Samantha Cerio got married to Joseph “Trey” Wood III on 3rd June 2019 in Fairhope, Baldwin County, Alabama. The wedding was attended by several guests, including her parents Mike and Becky Cerio, and her brother Dominick Cerio.
She first met her Trey at Auburn University where they both majored in aerospace engineering. Their love grew beyond studying together, to going to the movies, eating, keeping dogs, and watching Auburn football games.
In November 2018, she got engaged to the naval officer after the final Auburn football game of the year. Trey pulled a surprise engagement by inviting her family and his without her knowledge and hid them all around Samford Hall.
After the game, he went down on one knee and proposed, but she asked whether he sought her father’s permission. He answered yes, and she agreed to marry him.
See Also-Chloe Cluchey – 7 Interesting Facts You Should Know About The Gymnast
Quick Facts About Samantha Cerio
1. She Is Of Asian Ethnicity
Samantha Cerio is American, but she is of Asian heritage. She was initially born in China but was brought to the US by her parents Mike and Becky Cerio who adopted her from an orphanage.
2. The Former Auburn Gymnastic Was Named Wu Zhongye At Birth
Initially, her name was Wu Zhongye, but her parents Mike and Becky Cerio named her Samantha after adopting her. The idea of naming her Samantha came from her mother Becky who wanted to give her a nickname. Today, she is known as Samantha and not the 14-month-old Wu Zhongye that was adopted from an orphanage in China.
3. Her Parents Opted For Adoption After Watching A Report On Chinese Baby Girls Abandoned In Orphanages
Cerio’s parents have not been able to bear their biological children, so they opted for adoption. They chose to adopt after seeing a “60 Minutes” report on Chinese baby girls dumped in orphanages.
They traveled to China after finding an adoption agency on the internet. A match of what they wanted was found, but they later discovered there was a mixed up as the baby didn’t meet their description. Nevertheless, they kept her, groomed, and nurtured her to the 29 year-old she is today.
4. Samantha Cerio Made Her First Gymnastic Move When She Was 14 Months Old
It seems like Cerio was born to be a gymnast. She made her first gymnastic move at 14 months old after she was adopted by her parents. She did the move in their presence in their hotel room in China before they could retune to the United States. Even though she didn’t meet their expectation initially, they saw her talent after she pulled herself up in the little crib in the hotel room.
It was from there that they realized she could actually become a gymnast in the future.
5. She Was Trolled On Social Media After Her Accident At The NCCA Regionals
After Cerio sustained the injury that put an end to her collegiate gymnastic career, she was trolled on social media. The video of her accident at the NCCA region while doing her floor routine was in massive circulation while she could even reach the hospital.
In the wake of the happening, several spam accounts were created and all had screenshots of her injuries. She was saddened by the development that she took out all social media apps from her phone.
She wondered why people would sit comfortably, and watch how an athlete gets injured. She accused those that her videos of using it for entertainment purposes.
Samantha Cerio was a former collegiate gymnast of Auburn University. Her career ended after dislocating her both knees, breaking her left leg, and tearing multiple ligaments. Despite the severity of the injury, she was able to recover within two months, and right in time to marry her husband, Joseph “Trey” Wood III in June 2019.
It’s been 6 years since her injury and recovery. Is there a possibility of her returning to what she loved (gymnastics)? However, there are multiple cases of athletes who have sustained career-ending injuries but still returned. Therefore, there are chances she may return.
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