CollegeGymFans.com Top 10 Incoming Classes for 2004-2005

For years now, we've been actively tracking the recruiting trail for Collegiate Gymnastics.  However, we've never attempted to actually rank the recruiting classes of the top teams.  When we embarked on this daunting task, the first question we faced was about the method or criteria to use.  You may ask, how would you go about ranking the classes?  How do they do this in other sports, such as football, basketball and track & field?  First, we pursued some sort of qualitative criteria, such as placement or scores, that could remove subjectivity from the analysis.  But, this method proved to be biased towards large recruiting classes, did not accommodate important data like injuries, and proved to be overly complex.  In other sports comparisons, notably in revenue team sports, the subjective rankings are done by a poll of experts or evaluators.  After compiling a set of qualitiative statistics,  the final ranking was determined through subjective judgement, skill and execution evaluation, and results in major competitions.  The impact of major injuries and competition status in the last season were given extra weight.  Also, transfers were not included in the rankings, nor do the rankings comprehend performance in the fall training period.  Therefore, without any further excuse-making, is our first assessment of Women's Collegiate Gymnastics incoming classes.  

1.  Georgia:  Georgia grabs the top spot by the narrowest of margins over Stanford.  If not for a serious injury this summer to Tabitha Yim, the Cardinal would be ranked first.  The five GymDawg recruits are headlined by a pair of World Championship medalists, Katie Heenan and Samantha Sheehan.  Complementing these two are a pair of elites, Nikki Childs and Megan Dowlen, plus L10 in-state standout Audrey Bowers.  A recruiting class filled with potential NCAA stars, and with enviable depth, lifts this set of newcomers to the top of the list.  Whereby past UGA classes have been characterized by its powerhouses, this class may become better known for its blend of skill and execution.  Heenan, in particular, seems well suited to adapt quickly to the challenges of NCAA competition.  On the other hand, Sheehan is known for her high skill level, Childs for her beautiful lines, and Dowlen for a blend of both attributes.  Added to that mix is BB ace Bowers, a two-time JO National champ on the event.

2.  Stanford:  Before being derailed by a torn Achilles, Tabitha Yim looked set for an Olympic Team berth.  After that cruel twist of fate, she'll work past the injury and join with the dynamic Liz Tricase to lead the Cardinal in pursuit of a National Championship.  Tricase and Yim seem to have the skills and expressiveness to excel in the NCAA.  In fact, despite losing much talent and experience to graduation, the Coaches' recognized this strong class by ranking them #3 in the PreSeason Poll, with more #1 votes than any other team but UCLA.  The elegant elite Stephanie Gentry is yet another potential AA standout. Lauren Elmore, a former L10 National Champ, missed part of last season with an injury, but is known for her high skill level on all four events.  Standout L10s Alexandra Pintchouk and Aimee Precourt had solid seasons last year.

3.  Utah:  The Utes are slotted in at #3 in this ranking, on the virtues of the trio of Jessica Duke, Katie Kivisto, and Ashley Postell.  Postell, the former World Champion on BB, seems poised to help lead the Ute squad back to the top of the podium.  Despite the heartbreak of narrowly missing an Olympic Trials berth, this talented athlete will be an instant AA threat.  Kivisto, another elite athlete, spent the last season focusing on her training.  She is especially noted for her creativity on BB.  Duke, a former junior international, successfully competed L10 last season, .

4.  UCLA:  Tasha and Jordan Schwikert join with Lindsay Vanden Eykel to form the #4 class.  Elder sister Tasha is of course, yet another National Champion and Olympian in the recent series of champions at UCLA.  Experienced and able to produce top results with little training time, the eldest Schwikert seems capable of adapting easily to college life.  Younger sister Jordan, a former international elite, gave an early demonstration of her recovery from a severe back injury by tying for 2nd AA at JO Nationals.   The graceful Vanden Eykel garnered early acclaim and two national titles on the UB as a junior international.  Also a BB standout, she could also go AA as a collegian.

5.  Alabama:  Olympic Medalist Terin Humphrey headlines the Bama recruiting class, after a standout Olympics capped by a silver on UB.  After touring across the continent this fall, Humphrey looks set to join the team in January.  Already training with the squad are Kaitlin White and Mindy Weber, both of whom were recovering from injuries last season.  White is a standout elite from WOGA known for her vault and tumbling, but had her knee scoped this past summer.  L10 Weber is known for her high skill level, but was also injured.  In total, injuries drop down the ranking of this particular class.

6.  Florida:  Closely following the Bama squad is a large and talented Gator frosh crew.  Perhaps one of the nation's top L10 recruits, JO National Champ Tiffany Murry headlines a class of six.  Clubmate Ashley Reed is another highly skilled L10.  She won Regionals over teammate Murry last year with a huge 38.825 tally.  British Olympian Nicola Willis is a potential AA standout who placed 3rd AA at the 2004 British Championships.  Another international athlete, Canadian National Team (03) member Tracey Rai shines on FX and VT.  L10s Whitney Rosenburg and Stacey Abbott complete a class that could arguably be ranked higher.

7.  Michigan:  Michigan's recruiting class is slotted in 7th place, with international elite Katie Lieberman and L10s Lindsay Bourdon, Nellie Kippley, and Meghan Moore.  Lieberman, like her fellow IGI teammates, is a powerful athlete on VT and FX, but should also be an AA threat.  Georgia native Bourdon, who is still recovering from injury, was the AA runnerup at JOs in 2002 and 2003.  Kippley's final JO season was perhaps her finest, with a 3rd place (t) AA and finish in 2004.

8.  Penn State:  The three gymnast Lady Lion incoming class could lift PSU up to the next level.  Kristal Uzelac, the three time junior national champion, has the potential to be a champion at any level.  Although she scaled back training last season, she looks set to help out this rising PSU squad immediately.  Not to be overshadowed, Lindsay Borkan, is a former L10 National AA champ with plenty of competitive team experience as a high school champion.  Finally, L10 Aslynn Satterfield completes the trio as a VT/FX specialist.

9.  Oregon State:  The six true frosh on the OSU roster form a deep and talented addition to an already deep and talented team.  L10 standout Claire Pierce was a L10 BB National Co-Champ and 5th AA in '03, while Yuki Lamb was the 2003 AA Champ in the super tough Region VIII and 7th (t) AA at the 2004 JO meet.  L10 Courtney Dennison, from Arizona, also excels on BB.  Jeanine Ruby is former jr. international and top L10 who is coming back from injury sustained in the recent L10 "post season".  Megan Devencenzi, an initial walkon, finished 12th AA at JOs.  D'Anna Piro, another walkon, excels on UB.

10.  Nebraska:  It was a tough call, but the Husker frosh nab the final slot in this ranking.  Unfortunately, this entire class was reportedly recovering from some sort of injury last season.  Hugely talented Emily Parsons, a former L10 National Champ, has elite-level talent.  Vanessa Meloche, a Canadian elite, is a former Canadian Champ on UB and bronze medalist in the AA.  L10 standout Desire Sniatynski and former junior international elite Brittany Williams will be joined by local L10 product Kylee Johnson, a Fall 2004 signee who will join the school in January.