Displaying items by tag: Features

We're about to start the 2017 season, and it's time for us to release our annual Ranking of Recruiting Classes.  We wait until January to release this ranking because the recruiting calendar now extends year round, and we're seeing an increasing number of teams get mid-year additions.  And once again, we're seeing some of the negative unfortunate consequences of early recruiting:  gymnasts are not signing to their original classes, some choose not to matriculate or other life changes intrude (including, unfortunately, injury).  This year's ranking has seen all of that and more, as places shifted with each new late signing or in one case, a deferral caused in part due to injury.   

We're about to start the 2016 season, and we're  here once again to release our ranking of the Top Recruiting Classes.  We wait until the last possible moment to release this ranking, as the final picture never seems clear until January 1st.  Once again, this season, we're seeing some of the impacts of the acceleration in early recruiting.  In some cases, the gymnasts who originally committed at age 16 or younger did not end up matriculating at their original college choice.  And, with scholarships opening up due to transfers or retirement, we're seeing an increase in late recruiting, early college entries (early graduation), and mid-year starts. 

We're about to start the 2015 season, and we're once again waiting until the last moment to release our ranking of the Top Recruiting Classes.  This edition, 2014-2015, is one where we are seeing the full impact of early recruiting.  In some cases, the gymnasts who originally committed at age 16 or younger did not end up matriculating at their original college choice.  And, with scholarships opening up due to transfers or retirement, we're seeing a rash of late recruiting, early entries (early graduation), and mid-year starts.  In fact, our choice for number one had an early grad further strengthen an already strong class. 

For the 2014 edition of our ranking of the Top Recruiting Classes, we've had to wait until the last minute to make our decision.  "Recruiting" now has an entirely new definition.  Some of the athletes in our rankings originally selected their colleges over three years ago.  But more than few made their decisions within the last six to nine months.  In this age of early recruiting, a lot can change in the three final years of high school and during the first year of competition.  Thus, we're also seeing the emergence of a lively late recruiting period and early entries into college as scholarships become available late in the cycle.  This factor has even impacted our choice of the top team in our rankings.  Read on to find the answer...

For the past several seasons, we've made an attempt to rank the incoming classes for teams across the nation.  The task is never easy, and this year is no exception.  For the schools, investing in athletes today is a bit like investing in the stock (or precious metals) market.  With recruiting taking place earlier and earlier, coaches have to become experts at detecting the traits, abilities and characteristics that will produce a championship athlete two, three, and four years down the road (or six, seven and eight by the time they are college seniors!).  So who's class is rated to be the best?  Read on to find the answer...

For the past several seasons, we've made an attempt to rank the incoming recruiting classes for teams from across the nation.  Each year, the task seems to get tougher (and finalized later) and this year is no exception.  In fact, the depth of this recruiting class has produced a variety of very deep and talented frosh classes.  In particular, a number of elites elected not to defer entry into school and are providing a boost to teams across the nation.  So whose class is rated to be the best?  Read on to find the answer...

For the past several seasons, we've made an attempt to rank the incoming recruiting classes for teams from across the nation. Some teams, in particular the perennial  superpowers, seem to appear in the rankings each season. But as for the others, you've probably noticed new teams appear as the tides of recruiting ebb and flow. With recruiting occuring earlier and earlier, predicting the progress of future recruits is becoming more and more difficult. Unexpected injuries, changes in training pattern and other personal events sometimes impact an athlete's ability to come in and contribute right away. So which school has scored the top incoming class? It was close, but read ahead to find our ranking.