Former PSU Head Coach Steve Shephard has landed a new role at Victory Collegiate Consulting, a recruiting service.
Madeline Gardiner won the women's AA title at the 2011 Canadian Championships, in the Senior High Performance (eliite) category. Recruitable Jessica Savona was 2nd after a two year recovery from injury, while another recruitable, Canadian World Team member Bianca Dancose-Giambattisto, was 3rd. Former World VT finalist Brittany Rogers, another uncommitted recruit, was fourth in her return from injury. Roughly 20 NCAA coaches were reportedly in attendance. Arizona signee Kristin Klarenbach did not compete.
Link: Results and Gym Examiner Coverage
At the 2011 Canadian Championships, Jessica Dowling placed 1st in the preliminaries in the 16 year old and up division. SUU signee Rochelle Bernier was sixth while Iowa signee Emily Bigras was 12th.
Stanford has officially announced the addition of Alex Archer to their women's squad next fall. At the 2011 L10 Junior Olympic Nationals, she finished 22nd AA in the Senior D division. She tied for 10th AA and 2nd on UB at the 2010 Region I L10 Regionals.
Link: Stanford Release
Recruits and recruitables were in action today at the Canadian Championships. The women's high performance (elite) seniors were in action, in qualification for the AA and Event finals. Dominique Pegg posted the top mark on Day 1 with a 53.9. Arizona signee Kristin Klarenbach was 2nd.
Link: Results and Gymnastics Examiner Quick Hits
McKenzie Davis, L10 at GAGE in Missouri, has signed with the University of Pennsylvania according to a news article. This season, Davis finished 2nd AA at the Dragon Invite and 5th AA at the All Olympia meet. Last season she finished 9th AA at the NIT.
VideoA trio of OU Sooners (Jake Dalton, Steve Legendre and Alex Naddour) led the USA to 2nd place a the Stella Zharkarova Cup. Naddour placed 3rd AA.
Link: OU Release
Jaymi Baxter, L10 at Suncoast Gymnastics in Florida, has committed to Kent State for the 2012-13 season. This season, Baxter turned in 1st place all around finishes at the Suncoast Sports Fest (1st V/UB), Pikes Peak (1st V), Gasparilla (1st UB), and March Madness (1st V/UB/FX). She placed 3rd AA (1st V) at her state meet, 9th AA at regionals and 5th AA in the NIT.
International Elite Amanda Jetter has verbally committed to Alabama according to her club's Facebook page. In March, Jetter competed for the US team at the City of Jesolo Trophy meet in Italy, where she finished 8th in the all around, 4th on bars and 7th on beam. Earlier this season she competed two events, bars and beam, at the Buckeye Classic and won both. At the CGA Coaches Spectacular in January, she competed three events and placed first on a beam. Jetter trains at Cincinnati Gymnastics.
RIC has officially announced that Women's Gymnastics has been reinstated for at least two years. The program was cut in late March, but was reinstated through a tremendous effort of their team, in particular senior-to-be Sarah Chrane. A search for a Head Coach is underway.
Link: RIC Release
Danielle Buchanan is among the athletes slated to join Arizona next season. In a release noting the success of their signees, Arizona noted that Buchanan, a L10 from Gymnastics Olympica in Southern California, will join the team for next season. At the 2011 Southern California L10 State meet, she placed 4th AA and 3rd on VT.
Link: Arizona Release and Buchanan on YouTube.com
Lauren Ross, a L10 at Daggett's, has accepted a scholarship at Towson, according to her club. Ross placed 11th AA at the 2011 Region VI L10 Regionals. She qualified to the L10 JO Nationals in 2010, placing 44th AA.
Link: YouTube.com Channel
Kathy Tang, a L10 at Daggett's, has committed to Maryland, according to her club's Facebook account. Tang recently placed 2nd AA in the Senior B division at the L10 JO Nationals. She also tied for 8th on FX and 10th on BB at the meet. In 2010, she qualified to the JO NIT meet, placing 1st AA in her age division.
Link: YouTube.com Channel
Here's the results from the Level 10 Junior Olympics National Invitational Tournament. Gymnasts qualify to the meet by placing 8th to 10th (or lower, depending on alternates), and hitting a minimum score of 34.0 at Regionals. Here are the winners by age group:
Senior D:
1. Amber Woo, Gymfinity 36.9
2. Morgan Traina, West Coast Elite, 36.625
3. Kylie Fagan, Euro Stars, 36.3 (CMU)
Senior C:
1. Jamilah Ali, Northeast Elite, 37.675 (BGSU)
2. Kaitlin Sassa, Silvia's, 36.15
3. Taylor Bolender, Gym World OH, 36.05
Senior B:
1. Linday Williams, Splitz, 37.525
2t. Makenzie Johnson, Eagles Wings, 37.125
2t. Alicia Floyd, Airborne, 37.125
Senior A:
1t. Stacie Webb, Gym-Max, 37.025 (SUU)
1t. Jaelyn Olsen, Mat Trotters, 37.025
3. Erika Aufiero, Deltchev, 36.975
Junior D:
1. Marissa Beucler, CGA, 37.0
2. Kira Frederick, North Florida, 36.65
3. Chelsea Ranieri, Silvia's, 36.0
Junior C:
1. Jennie Laeng, Olympic Dreams, 37.1
2. Alexandra Gremillion, Gym-Max, 36.875
3. Alicia Gallarzo, GymJam, 36.75
Junior B:
Junior A:
Link: NIT Results
Jaime Wright has committed to Oregon State for 2012-2013, according to a site submission. Wright is a L10 who lives in Idaho but trains in Washington at Northwest Gymnastics. At the recent L10 Nationals, she competed in the Senior A group, tying for 20th AA and tying for third on UB. She also tied for 42nd AA in 2010 at the L10 JO Nationals.
Link: Videos on YouTube.com
Here is a snapshot of the overall season for the recruits and commits who are headed to the teams that finished in the top ten this season. Of course, some elite level and foreign athletes will continue to compete through the summer.