Elaina Cammarata has received an appointment with the Air Force Academy and will compete for them next season (Note: all appointments receive scholarships, so an NLI is not signed). She is a L10 at Trinity. As a L9 last season at Crystal Lake, she finished 12th AA at the 2010 Region V L10 Regionals.
Link: Article
Be sure to checkout the article featuring links to preseason videos from some of your favorite teams. Links that have been updated since the initial publication are noted! Some of the latest updates include UCLA, Illinois and Penn.
Illinois has named Justin Spring Head Coach of it's men's program. He had been serving as Associate Head Coach.
Link: Illinois Release
Centenary has announced the addition of Lauren Cullen to the 2011-2012 squad. The L10 from Bart Conner has accepted an offer of adminission. As a L9 in 2010, she placed 16th AA, 3rd on FX and 4th(t) on BB at the L9 Western Nationals.
Link: Centenary Release and YouTube.com Channel
Caitlin Atkinson has reportedly committed to Auburn, according to a site submission. The Cypress athlete qualified to the senior international elite division at the 2010 US Classic, where she placed 20th. As a jr. international, she placed 26th AA at the 2008 VISA Championships.
Link: Additional Video at YouTube.com and Gymnastike.org
Rutgers Head Coach Chrystal Nollet-Norton will retire at the end of the season, according to a school release. This season will mark her 25th. A national search will be conducted for her successor.
Link: Rutgers Release
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New UCLA signee Peng Peng Lee won the AA on the first day at Elite Canada. Iowa commit Emily Bigras was 19th.
Link: Results and Interview with Lee
Lisavette (Lisa) Soto has committed to Pitt for the 2012-13 season. Soto started her 2009-10 season with 2nd place AA finishes at the Twin City Invite (1st v and ub) and the Tampa Bay Turners Invite (1st fx). She picked up bars titles at both her state and regionals meets on her way to 2nd place AA finishes in each of those meets. She qualified to nationals where she placed 7th on bars. Soto is a level 10 and competes for Southeastern Gymnastics in North Carolina.
UIC signed two gymnasts to letters of intent: Chelsea Bailey and Alexandria "Lexi" Brown.
Bailey is a L10 who trains at IGI. She placed 10th AA at the 2010 Region V L10 Regionals and qualified to the JO NIT meet. In 2009, she placed 13th AA at the Regional meet. Link: YouTube.com Video
Brown is a teammate of Bailey at IGI. The L10 placed 20th AA at the 2010 Region V L10 Regionals. As a L9 in 2009, she placed 1st on FX, 3rd on UB and 5th AA at the 2009 L9 Eastern Nationals. Link: YouTube.com Channel
Link: UIC Release
The University of Alaska-Anchorage announced the signing of three athletes to letters of intent: Chelsey Baker, Morgan Cook, and Paige Pirie. The commits of Baker and Cook were covered in prior news items.
Pirie is a L10 who trains at Newnan in Georgia. She qualified to Regionals in 2010, competing in two events. In 2009, she placed 13th AA at the Region VIII L10 Regionals. Link: YouTube.com Channel
Link: UAA Release
Ohio State has announced the signing of three men to letters of intent for 2011-2012: Robert DiRugeris, Drew Moling and Alex Nork. The commits of DiRugeris and Moling were covered in prior news items. Nork trains with DiRugeris at Will-Moor in New Jersey. He finished 58th AA at the 2010 JO Nationals. Link: Nork's Personal Website
Link: Ohio State Release
If there is one area of the college recruiting process that stands above the rest, I believe it is the way prospects effectively communicate with college coaches. Let’s face it, the majority of boys and girls in any given active recruiting pool will not be blue chip prospects and a reluctance to proactively communicate with college coaches will oftentimes result in an undertow that will likely drag a prospect and family backward in the college search. Below are some simple tips to consider when making an introductory contact with college coaches.
Nicole Turner, L10 at Metroplex in Texas, has committed to Oregon State for the 2012-13 season. Her 2010 results include a 3rd place AA finish at the Texas Prime meet (1st V/FX), a 1st place AA finish at the Nadia Comaneci meet and a 1st place win (1st FX) at her state meet.
Video
Brandie Jay, an elite from GK Gymnastics in Colorado, has committed to UGA. Her 2010 results include a 2nd AA finish at the Winterest, a 3rd AA finish at the Sand Dollar meet and a 2nd AA at the Sand Dollar Elite Qualifier. She went on to win the All Olympia meet (1st V/UB/FX), her state meet (1st V/UB), regionals (1st V) and JO Nationals (1st V). During the elite season she competed at the Covergirl Classic, finishing 13th AA, and the Visa Championships, finishing 17th AA (3rd V).