Gaskins, Desch Added to USA National Team

Gaskins, Desch Added to USA National Team

Nov 24, 2013 by Anne Phillips
Gaskins, Desch Added to USA National Team
The final USA Women's National Team Camp of the year concluded today in Huntsville, Texas, at the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center at the Karolyi Ranch. Many athletes at the camp showed their progress toward acquiring new skills, while others proved their readiness for international competition.


Emily Gaskins training beam during Gymnastike's filming of Beyond the Routine with CGA.

The United States is sending six women to compete at next week's Mexico Open in Acapulco, Mexico, Nov. 26-30. Seniors Peyton Ernst of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, and Maggie Nichols of Little Canada, Minn./Twin City Twisters, and juniors Emily Gaskins of Coral Springs, Fla./Cincinnati Gymnastics, Laurie Hernandez of Old Bridge, N.J./MG Elite, Veronica Hults of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, and Bailie Key of Montgomery, Texas/Texas Dreams, have been named to the squad.

Elizabeth Price of Coopersburg, Pa./Parkettes, is set to compete at World Cup events in Stuttgart, Germany, Nov. 30-Dec. 1, and Glasgow, Great Britain, Dec. 7.


Maddi Desch at the 2012 Visa Championships

Following the conclusion of the camp, Madison Desch of Lenexa, Kan./Great American Gymnastics Express, and Gaskins have been added to the senior and junior national teams, respectively.

Desch is a former member of the Junior National team and finished 2nd all around at the 2012 Visa Championships in her final year as a junior. Her senior debut in 2013 was slowed by a knee injury. She comped all around for the first time all season at the 2013 P&G Championships and placed 9th all around and 4th on floor. 

Gaskins is a first year junior elite out of Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy. She finished 10th all around at the 2013 P&G Championships.

Another highlight of the camp was when Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/Bannon's Gymnastix, Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max, and Brenna Dowell of Odessa, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express, received rings to commemorate their success at 2013 World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium. Team USA collected a record 12 medals at this year's individual World Championships. Coach Artur Akopyan accepted the ring for McKayla Maroney of Long Beach, Calif./All-Olympia, who was not present at this month's camp.

The next U.S. Women's National Team Camp runs Jan. 20-24, 2014. Via usagym.