UGA has officially confirmed earlier reports and has named Cal coach Danna Durante as the new Head Coach for the Gym Dog program. Prior to Cal, Durante was the associate Head Coach at Nebraska and an assistant at Washington, winning National Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2007 and Regional honors in 1999 and 2002. A former elite National Team and Olympic Trials qualifier (as Danna Lister), she score five 10s as an athlete at ASU.
At Cal, Durante had laid the groundwork for strengthening the Cal program, raising their average score significantly and earning verbal commitments of several top L10 and elite-level athletes for the 2013-2014 school year.
Cal, in a release, noted they will start a national search for a replacement.
As she completes her staff and Cal makes their decisions, we'll likely see some more coaching changes throughout the summer.
Link: UGA Release and Cal Release
Briel Muhlestein, L10 at USA Gymnastics World Utah, has committed to Utah State. This season she placed 4th AA at the Lady Luck Invitational, 2nd AA (1st FX) at her state meet and 16th AA at regionals.
Memory Shettles, L10 at Georgia Gymnastics Academy, has committed to Southern Utah. She won the Cloverleaf Invitational (1st AA; Vault) and won beam at the Atlanta Crown, competing with a cast on her wrist. Memory recently placed 2nd AA at the JO NITs where she also placed 3rd on floor. She is the GA floor state champ and also placed 2nd on the balance beam.
Stanford's Kristina Vaculik led the AA qualifications at the 2012 Canadian Championships. She posted a 56.35 to outdistance rising newcomers Victoria Moors and Ellie Black. LSU signee Jessica Savona was 4th, showing her successful comeback from injury. UCLA commit Mikaela Gerber was 5th. UGA signee Anysia Unick was 7th, just ahead of future teammate Brittany Rogers, who tied for 8th. Oregon State commit Taylor Ricci was 18th while Oregon State grad Laura Ann Chong was 19th.
UCLA signee Christine "Peng Peng" Lee injured her knee in training.
Link: Results