Region I won the Senior (17-18) team title in the preliminary round of the Men's Junior Olympic Nationals. Individually, Dmitri Belanovski posted the top score in the prelminaires, in the Senior 17-18 division. Akash Modi was 2nd and Jacub Dastrup was 3rd.
Region 3 was winner in the Junior Division, with Belanovski's teammate Marvin Kimble of the Swiss Turners (The Hamm Twin's former club) turning in the top score, in a stunning domination. Kimble placed 1st on every event and posted a huge 94.05, easily outdistancing both divisions.
Link: USA Gymnastics
Ohio State will add Michelle Burns, Mary Hennekes and Faith Morrison to the 2013-2014 squad, according to a release.
Burns is a L10 from the St. Louis Gymnastics Center. In 2012, she placed 38th AA at the L10 Junior Olympic Nationals. This past season, she competed bars and beam, placing 1st on both events at the California Classic. Link: Video
Hennekes is a L10 from Perfection. She won bars at the 2012 Region V L10 Regionals. She has competed primarily on vault and bars the past several seasons. Link: Video
Morrison is a L10 from Capital. In 2013, she qualified to the L10 Junior Olympic Nationals after placing 8th at Regionals. Link: Website
Link: Ohio State Release
MaKenna Merrell, L10 from All American Gymnastics in Utah, has accepted a scholarship offer from Utah. MaKenna finished 10th AA at the 2011 JO Nationals. This season she finished in the top three AA at her meets, including a sweep of events at her state meet and a 2nd place finish (1st FX) at regionals.
Buckeye Gymnastics has announced that Taylor Young-Smith will join the EMU team this fall. Taylor competed 3 events at her meets this year. She finished 3rd on floor at the Chicago Style and 5th on floor at the Buckeye Classic.
Minnesota Official Announcement
Missouri Official Announcement
Hope Tralli, L10 from Galaxy Gymnastics in NY, has signed with Bridgeport for the 2013-14 season. She qualified to the NIT last season. She recently placed 13th AA at her regional meet.
UCLA has signed Michaela Gerber to a Letter of Intent, as expected. She is the younger sister of former Bruin Aisha Gerber, and is an elite level athlete in Canada.
Link: Release
Kelsea Fischer, L10 at R-Athletics in Michigan, has committed to Wisconsin-Whitewater. This season Kelsea placed 1st on bars at the Chicago Style, 1st on beam at the UGA Invitational and 1st on vault at the LGA Lucky Invite.
Casey Lauter, L10 at Gold Medal Gymnastics in NY, has committed to New Hampshire. Casey is a three time JO qualifier. This season Casey is the NY state beam champ and the regional bars, beam and floor champ.
Bridget Sloan, UF, has received the Honda Award for Gymnastics and is now a finalist for the Honda Cup.
Cara Stricklin, L10 from Cypress Pointe Gymnastics in La., has committed to William and Mary. Cara qualified to JOs last season and competed at regionals this year.
Suren Kanchana-valeerat, L10 at Naydenov Gymnastics in Washington, has committed to Illinois per her recruiting service. Suren recently placed 7th AA at her regional meet.
Sonya Meraz, L10 at All Olympia, has committed to UCLA according to her recruiting consultant. She competed at JOs last season. This season she won the Gymnastics Legends meet (1st AA/UB/BB/FX) and finished 2nd AA at the Gliders Invitational. She recently placed 8th AA at her regional meet.
Marissa Toci, L10 at Will-Moor in N.J., has committed to New Hampshire. This season she placed 1st on vault and bars at the Pink Invitational. She placed 9th AA at her state meet and 8th AA at regionals.
As expected, ASU announced the signing of Rebekah Conrad to a Letter of Intent. Conrad trains as a L10 at World Class in Virginia.
Link: ASU Release
Missouri has announced the signing of Angie Kern to a Letter of Intent. Kern is a L10 from Show Me Gymnastics. Her commit was covered in a prior news item.
Link: Mizzou Release