As in the past, in this analysis we have made a conscious decision to exclude transfers and redshirts in the consideration. We also discounted the athletes who left school during the Fall training period, but considered those who will be joining their teams in January. Injuries, injury history and competition "sabbaticals" were considered, as they are indicator of both fitness and motivation. A talented athlete with a history of major injuries may, unfortunately, being a marginal contributor.
The rankings are based on past performance and skill level, which of course are no guarantee of success at the collegiate level. Time and time again, some athletes get injured or go through adjustments in college competition that limit their first-year success. Others blossom right away in college. We can’t project how each athlete will fare in college, but past trends are important considerations. We assume, for instance, that a hardworking L10 with excellent form, technique and a strong history of improvement may benefit her team as much as a former international elite with a history of injury and sudden growth spurt.
In the past, we have tried quantitative methods of ranking athletes based on results, level and skills. These rankings end up being useful, but ultimately just as flawed as a more subjective ranking. It is also inherently difficult to assess a class of six athletes versus a set of just two, no matter how talented the two may be. Ultimately, we are looking for the set of impact athletes that can be consistent scorers in the 9.85+ range on a given event and be potential standouts on their team and in the NCAA. Thus, in this year’s ranking several of the smaller classes are ranked ahead of schools with larger recruiting classes, based purely on the potential impact of these top athletes. So, without any further excuse making, here are the CollegeGymFans.com Top 10 Recruiting Classes for 2009-2010.
1. Florida
Florida signed two highly recruited athletes in Ashanee Dickerson and Randy Stageberg and bolstered the strength of the class with Liz Green and Marissa King, who will join the team in January, and walkon Dalia Lemezan. Of the four signees, Stageberg’s name is the best known, as a senior international elite with a very high skill level who finished 9th AA at the 2008 VISA (US) Championships. However, an injury following the Olympic year has slowed her transition to college.
Ashanee Dickerson, a L10 who has consistently placed at the top of the L10 standings, possesses elite level skills and amplitude on several events, including a nice double Arabian on FX. Similarly, Liz Green, from Texas Dreams, is a fomer L10 National Champion whose success at the JO level brings to mind another athlete from the same club, former UGA great Tiffany Tolnay. Green won the L10 National AA title in 2007 and 2008, and tied for 4th in 2009.
Britain’s Marissa King recently competed at the World Championships and should be in top form after competing in the World Cup circuit this fall. Although she will have to adapt to the college system and rules, she is healthy and has a high skill level throughout (Tsuk layout 1 ½ twist on VT, standing Arabian on BB). The 2008 Olympian is the reigning British champion on the VT. Finally, in-state L10 Dalia Lemezan has solid skills and a 10.0 SV vault to further increase the team’s depth. In spite of the fact that Green and King missed the preseason, this is the most formidable incoming class this year.
2. Georgia
Like Florida, UGA has hauled in a strong class of highly recruited athletes in Christa Tanella, Shayla Worley, Noel Couch, and Katie Breazeal. Worley headlines the class. The reknowned former US World Championships team member has a wide array of skills at her disposal, but she is battling through injury problems that may slow her start a bit. Nevertheless, Worley and international elite Tanella will join forces to replace some of the superstars that graduated from UGA after last season. Tanella trained at WOGA placed 13th AA at the 2008 VISA Championships. She brings outstanding lines and flawless execution of her skills and should readily adapt to college gymnastics.
Couch, a former Jr. International Elite, is an L10 from the Northstars. She claimed the AA title in the Senior C division at the 2009 Junior Olympic meet while picking up a 1st on FX, 4th on UB and 4th(t) on BB. In 2008, she tied for the title on the BB while placing 12th AA. Breazeal, another WOGA trained L10, tied for 50th AA in the Senior D division at the 2009 Nationals. She was also 17th(t) AA and 10th(t) FX at the 2008 L10 Nationals.
3. Oregon State
This year Oregon State adds Leilani Alferos, Kelsi Blalock, Melanie Jones and Makayla Stambaugh. Stambaugh, a two-time junior elite National Team member, dominated the L10 scene as a senior, winning national titles in 2008 and 2009. Her strong skills (Yurchenko 1 1/2 on VT, two major releases on UB) should help ensure that Oregon State remains competitive among the top ranked teams for the next four years. Blalock is a L10 from Gym East who has posted a consistent series of impressive AA finishes at L10 Nationals: 3rd in 2009, 8th in 2008, and 2nd in 2007.
Jones was an alternate to the 2008 Australian Olympic squad and placed 2nd on VT and 9th AA at the 2008 Australian Championships. She competes big elite level skills like a double Arabian on FX and a layout Tsukahara 1 ½ twist on VT. Alferos, an accomplished L10, has consistently made strong showings on the L10 scene and tied for 20th AA at the 2009 L10 Nationals. She demonstrates good lines and has shown a strong improvement curve.
4. Michigan
Michigan’s class includes Natalie Beilstein, Britnee Martinez and Katie Zurales. Beilstein, a L10 from Butler Gymnastics, is known for her big tumbling and vaulting (Yurchenko 1 1/2). At the 2008 L10 Nationals, she placed 6th(t) AA, 2nd on VT and 3rd on FX. She was the L10 co-champ on FX in 2007, when she placed 17th AA. Martinez, a L10 from Colorado Aerials, was the co-champion on the UB at the 2009 L10 Nationals. She also placed 3rd on BB and 4th AA at the meet. In 2008, she placed 5th AA and 4th on UB at the L10 Nationals. She has nice array skills in her repertoire, including a full-in on FX.
Zurales missed the 2009 club season due to injury. However, the powerful athlete was 3rd AA and 4th (t) on VT, 7th(t) on UB and 10th(t)on FX at the 2008 L10 Nationals. In 2007, she captured the L10 National Title on VT, placing 3rd in the AA, 3rd(t) FX, 6th(t) BB and 7th(t) on UB. The three L10s have been among the top L10s in their respective regions for quite some time.
5. Utah
Utah takes the fifth spot with a quality two athlete class of Katelyn Mohr and Megan Whitney,plus the expected addition of Fumina Kobayashi in January. Mohr is a former senior international elite out of Byer’s in California. Dropping down to L10 in 2009, she tied for 11th AA at the L10 Nationals. As a senior international elite in 2008, she placed 16th AA at the VISA (US) Championships. She competes some unusual skills, like a Tsuk 1 ½ twist tucked vault.
Whitney overcame an early season ankle injury to place 21st(t) AA, 9th(t) on VT and 10th on UB at the 2009 L10 Nationals. In 2008, the Desert Devil-trained L10 placed 2nd AA and tied for 4th on FX, 7th on UB and 8th on BB at the L10 Nationals. The final recruit, Kobayashi, is an in-state athlete from Olympus. She placed 13th(t) AA at the 2009 Region I L10 Regionals.
6. Bama
Alabama boasts a large incoming class once again, led by signees Ashley Sledge and Marissa Gutierrez, plus Courtney Bell and Mary Hauswirth. The Crimson Tide also officially added Becca Alexin to the squad for the start of the new semester. Sledge is a standout L10 from World Class Gymnastics in Illinois. She captured the L10 National title in 2005 and placed 3rd AA in 2007, but she missed both the 2008 and 2009 post season competitions. Sledge is a standout tumbler, but her repeated injury problems, including an Achilles tear last January, are factored into our analysis.
Gutierrez, a L10 from WGA Texans, placed 2nd AA and tied for 2nd on FX, 3rd on VT, 7th on UB and 8th on BB at the 2009 L10 Nationals. She competes a series of high level skills with amplitude and precision, including a double layout on FX. Coming off a standout 2009, she reportedly had a strong preseason as well.
Alexin, a L10 from GymStars, placed 13th AA and 3rd on UB at the 2008 Region VIII L10 Regionals. Hauswirth, a L10 from Olympia Gymnastics (MI), was 25th AA at the Region V L10 Regionals. As a L9 in 2008, she was 2nd AA, 1st on UB and 1st on FX at the Level 9 Eastern Nationals. She reportedly tore her ACL in preseason training. Bell, a L10 from the Calvin Twisters, is a regional qualifier.
7. Arkansas
Arkansas nabs the 7th slot in this ranking, with their class of Natalie Bohonsky, Amy Borsellino, Kelci Lewis, and Amanda Siebert. Bohonsky is a L10 from WOGA who is graduating early to join the GymBacks in January. She missed the 2009 season with an injury, after placing 25th(t) AA and 7th(t) on UB at the 2008 L10 Nationals and 11th AA at the 2007 L10 Nationals. Borsellino, a former elite athlete from the NorthStars program in New Jersey, placed 11th(t) AA, 1st on VT and 6th on FX at the 2009 L10 Nationals. In 2008, as a Senior A, she was 2nd AA while tying for 3rd on BB and UB, 5th on VT and 9th on FX.
Lewis is a L10 from ConocoPhillips Gymnastics who competes powerfully on VT and FX (full-in). In 2007, she placed 6th(t) AA, 5th(t) VT and 5th on FX at the L10 Nationals. She also placed 37th AA at the 2008 L10 Nationals. She did not compete in the post-season in 2009 due to academic obligations, but did win her state meet. The final recruit, in-state L10 Amanda Siebert from the Williams Center, is known for her vaulting. She was 11th AA and 5th(t) on VT at the 2008 Region III L10 Regionals.
8. UCLA
UCLA features two signees, Monique De La Torre and Lichelle Wong, plus three walk-ons, Danielle Grieg, Courtney Shannon, and Chloe Takayanagi. De La Torre is a former jr. international elite and L10 from Carter’s Gymnastics. At the 2008 L10 Nationals, she placed 4th AA, 2nd(t) on FX and 6th(t) on UB. During the 2009 season, she did not compete in the post-season but won the AA in her session at the Parkettes Invitational and at the Arizona Sunrays Hard Rock Invitational.
Wong is a member of the Netherlands National Team and the reigning AA National Champion. She also captured the National AA title in 2006, was runner-up in 2007, and was 5th in 2008. She won the 2009 National title despite still coming back from an injury sustained in 2008. A veteran of international competition, she also competed in the 2006 and 2007 World Championships.
Grieg is a L10 originally from New Zealand but who has trained as a L10 at Charter Oak. She demonstrates excellent lines and placed 31st(t) AA at the 2008 L10 Nationals. Shannon is a L10 from Olympia Gymnastics in Southern California. She was 13th AA at the 2007 Region I L10 Regionals. The third walk-on, Takayanagi, is a L10 from Waller’s GymJam.
9. Oklahoma
OU’s class includes signees Brittany Neubauer, Kayla Nowak and Brie Olson, plus walkon Nitya Ramaswami. Neubauer is a L10 from Dynamo. She had an excellent senior season, placing 10th AA at the L10 Nationals, including an 8th(t) place finish on the UB. She also qualified to the 2008 L10 Nationals, and tied for the Region III title on VT. Nowak, a L10 from IGI, also had an excellent final club season, placing 9th(t) AA and 10th(t) on FX at the L10 Nationals. She was also 10th AA, 2nd on FX, 4th on BB and 5th on VT at the 2008 Region V L10 Regionals.
Olson is a L10 from Ultimate Gymnastics (and formerly, with TCT). At the 2009 L10 Nationals, she placed 19th AA and tied for 7th on both the UB and FX. She was 3rd AA, 3rd(t) UB, 4th on VT, 6th(t) on FX and 7th(t) on BB at the 2008 L10 Nationals. Ramaswami, a L10 from Cardinal, placed 9th AA and 4th on FX at the 2009 Region IV L10 Regionals. She was also 39th AA at the 2008 L10 Nationals.
10. Stanford
Stanford rounds out our top 10 with three recruits: Nicole Dayton, Ashley Morgan and Ming Ya Zhou. Dayton is a powerful gymnast and three-time National VT champion who trained as a L10 at Geddart’s Twistars. In 2009, she placed 2nd(t) on BB and 29th AA at the L10 Nationals, after problems on UB. In 2008, she placed 3rd on VT, 6th(t) on FX and 25th(t) AA at the L10 Nationals. Morgan, a L10 from Bay Aerials, had a standout senior season. At the 2009 L10 Nationals, she placed 3rd AA, 2nd(t) FX, 4th on BB and 6th(t) on VT. In 2008, she missed the 2008 National meet after winning the Region I AA and BB titles. She also captured the National L10 title on FX in 2007.
The third signee, Ming Ya Zhou, is a former jr. international elite and L10 National AA champion (2006) who excels on the FX (double Arabian). The Brestyan’s trained L10 placed 4th on FX and 24th AA at the 2008 L10 Nationals.
Bubbling Under…
Several other teams could easily be ranked ahead of other teams in the Top 10. LSU boast a large class, including Mexican National Team member Ericka Garcia and L10 standouts Kaleigh Dickson and Shelby Prunty. North Carolina features former L10 National AA Champ (2008) Meridith Madjuka as well as strong L10s in Michelle Ikoma and Liz Durkac. Another former L10 National AA champ, Petrina Yokay, highlights Auburn’s recruiting class, which also features another strong L10 in Toi Garcia. Penn State features a two-time L10 National runnerup, Sharaya Musser, plus another strong L10, Maddie Merriam.