Towson has hired Becky (nee Robertson) Schaller as an assistant. She was a standout at MSU in the 90s and has been volunteeing at Towson the past year. She has been a club coach at Harford.
Link: Towson Release
Air Force has announced that eight gymnasts have accepted appointments at the Academy for the coming school year. They are:
Skyler Awisus - Reno, Nev.
Gared Chapman - Winter Park, Fla.
Gregory Chaput - Worcester, Mass.
Nicholas Gaudlip - Colorado Springs, Colo.
Corbin Palmer - Frisco, Texas
Steven Ramos - Broken Arrow, Okla.
Niko Schwab - Arvada, Colo.
Jon Spiro - Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Says Head Coach Kip Simons, "This is, by far, the best recruiting class that has been assembled in the last decade.... (Air Force) will take another step forward in the national rankings."
Link: Air Force Release
Nebraska Head Coach Dan Kendig has announced that Heather Brink will join the program as an assistant coach. She has been coaching since 2006 at Nebraska SOG, and prior to that at the Arizona Sunrays. The 11-time All-American and former National AA champion replaces Danna Durante, who is now the Head Coach at Cal.
Link: NU Release
Many believe the summer is a time when college coaches switch to lower gears. The regular season is complete and the student-athletes have headed home for a well-deserved break. Nothing can be further from the truth! Opportunity is eminently knocking and if there is a prime season for recruiting, it is during the summer. Below are some auxiliary tips to consider as you move your college recruiting effort to a higher level.
Bama senor Kayla Hoffman won the prestigious Academic All-American of the Year Award. She was selected from nominees from the winter season, across all sports.
Link: Bama Release
Towson has signed three gymnasts for 2011-2012: Janis Konkle, Lauren Ross and Diona Straub. The commits of Ross and Straub were covered previously.
Konkle is a L10 who trains at All-Star in Massachusetts. A National qualifier the last three years, she placed 51st AA at this year's L10 JO Nationals.
Link: Towson Release and Konkle's YouTube.com Channel
Sam Morreale has been named Head Coach at NIU, replacing Mark Sontag. He has 22 years experience as a coach, including the last nine years at NIU.
Link: NIU Release
Morgan Smith, a senior international elite and US National Team member, has committed to Michigan, according to her club.
Link: Her Official Web Site
Lexi Lajeunesse is a L10 gymnast at Stars Gymnastics in Houston. She has committed to Central Michigan University for the 2012-13 season. In 2010 she was 6th at Regionals with 2nd place on floor and finished 6th AA to qualify to JO Nationals.
In 2011 she finished 8th AA with a 37.475 at Regionals and qualified to JO NIT where she placed 7th AA.
Three time NCAA AA champion Jenny Hansen (Kentucky) competed two events at the recent Elite Qualifier. She's 37 and works as a stunt double on "Make It or Break It". See her on UB and BB below.
New Ohio State head coach Rustam Sharipov has named Casimiro Suarez and Paul Hamm as assistant coaches. A member of the 1980 Cuban Olympic Team, Suarez has been coaching for 20 years, in a variety of club, college and National Team posts, and was most recently at Orlando Metro. Olympic Champion Hamm returns to his alma mater, where he graduated magna cum laude in 2007 (in accounting).
Link: Ohio State Release
Kim Wilson, a L-9 gymnast from Geddert's Twistars in Michigan, has accepted a walk-on offer to CMU. Wilson's season highlights included a 1st AA (1st B/BB)at the Twistars Invitational and 1st on Bars (2nd BB/AA) at UGA. She finished her season strong with a 1st on Bars (2nd AA) at L-9 State Meet, 1st AA at Regionals (2nd Bars)and 1st place on Bars at Nationals.
The USA Gymnastics Open held an elite qualifier this past weekend. Senior age level competitors needed to hit qualifying scores in order to advance to the Classics (if they have already received their compulsary score): 53.0 as an AAer, 40.5 on three events, or 27.5 on two events. AU commit Caitlin Atkinson placed 3rd in her session but did get a qualifying mark. Bama commit Lauren Beers was 4th in the same session and has previously qualified. The next qualifier is in July.
Link: Senior Results 1 and Senior Results 2
Sarah Neumann has accepted a scholarship to Air Force for the 2012-13 season according to her club's website. Neumann is a level 10 who trains at Twin City Twisters in Minnesota. This season Neumann won her session at the Sand Dollar meet, finished 10th AA at the Peppermint Twist meet, 6th AA at the Gopher Invite and 7th AA at the Chicago style. She finished up the season with a 14th place AA finish at the NIT.
Per Gymn.ca, Ti Liu is reportedly headed to UCLA as a walk-on. The sr. high performance (elite) from Canada's Gymnix club recently placed 4th on BB and 7th on UB at the 2011 Canadian Championships. At the 2010 Canadian Championships, she placed 2nd AA, 2nd on UB and 4th on BB in the National Open 16+ division.
Link: BB and UB Video and YouTube.com Channel
Nicolle Eastman, L10 at Gedderts Twistars in Michigan, has committed to Kent State. Eastman had a busy 2011 season schedule, finishing in the top six AA at nearly every meet. Season highlights include 3rd place finishes at the Luau in Leos and the Arena Classic (1st V/BB); a 2nd place finish at the Chicago Style and an all around win at regionals. She finished 19th AA at JO Nationals.