Bruins Add Olympic Talent and Notable Depth with Large Freshman Class

Bruins Add Olympic Talent and Notable Depth with Large Freshman Class

In this week's installment of freshman class previews, FloGymnastics takes a look at the deepest freshmen class, UCLA. The UCLA Bruins welcome in a large freshmen class of nine talented gymnasts.

Oct 25, 2016 by Keri Monstrola
Bruins Add Olympic Talent and Notable Depth with Large Freshman Class
In this week's installment of freshman class previews, FloGymnastics takes a look at UCLA's talented group of newcomers. The Bruins welcome nine gymnasts in their freshman class, which is one of the deepest in the nation.

UCLA is sure to get a big boost from this freshman class to help the Bruins improve on their fifth-place finish at last year's NCAA National Championships. This class brings incredible depth and talent, including two Olympic gold medalists, U.S. National Team members, and J.O. National Championship qualifiers.

The freshman class includes:

Anna Glenn: Four-time J.O. National Team member
Grace Glenn: Four-time J.O. National Team member
Felicia Hano: U.S. National Team member (2014-2015)
Madison Kocian: 2016 Olympic gold medalist (team), silver medalist (bars), three-time world champion (2014 and 2015 team, 2015 bars)
Gracie Kramer: 2015 Level 10 state champion (all-around, vault)
Giulianna Pino: Member of the Ecuadorian National Team (2012-2016), World Championships 2015
Kyla Ross: 2012 Olympic gold medalist (team), seven-time U.S. National Team member, five-time World Championships medalist
Mercedez Sanchez: Level 10 regional qualifier (2016, 2015)
Maria Caire: Gymnast from La Cañada Flintridge, California

Watch Kyla Ross, Grace Glenn, and Felicia Hano during a preseason beam intrasquad below!



Anna & Grace Glenn

The Glenn sisters come to UCLA from Charlotte, North Carolina, where they trained at Southeastern Gymnastics and look to make a big splash as freshmen. Both Anna and Grace were J.O. standouts who are beautiful gymnasts to watch and bring impeccable execution to each of their routines. Anna missed the 2016 season with a torn labrum in her shoulder and is looking to be back to full strength this preseason. The duo will provide powerful routines with great execution that will be sure to make an impact in the lineup this season. Look for the Glenn sisters to be each other's biggest cheerleader in the next chapter of their lives at UCLA. Watch Grace training on floor here.


Felicia Hano

Hano is a California native from San Gabriel, where she trained at Gym-Max with Kyla Ross. She is a former U.S. National Team member who also brings International experience to the team. She is training a big Yurchenko double full that will bring a 10.0 start value to the vault lineup and has very powerful tumbling as well. Hano adds a great deal of excitement, talent, personality, and depth to this prolific freshman class. Watch Hano's preseason beam training here.

Head coach Val Kondos-Field on Felicia Hano
"We are excited to bring Felicia Hano into the mix of our diversely talented freshman class. Felicia brings a lot of power to floor and vault as well as being able to fill out our roster as a strong all-around gymnast."


Madison Kocian

Kocian comes to UCLA fresh off a summer to remember as a member of the "Final Five." She is another Olympic gymnast to come out of WOGA gymnastics in Dallas, Texas. Kocian was a key contributor on bars to the 2016 Olympic gold medal-winning team and also had personal success winning a silver medal on bars. Although she only competed on bars in the team final, Kocian is an incredible all-around athlete who is going to be hard to beat this season. She will be a must-watch gymnast this year with her beautiful lines, incredible difficulty, and outstanding confidence and experience. Watch for Kocian to be a crowd favorite this season after her recent Olympic success.



Kondos-Field on Madison Kocian
"Madison is the type of student-athlete that Championship programs are built around."

Gracie Kramer

Kramer is another California native from San Clemente, where she trained at Wildfire Gymnastics. She is a level 10 gymnast who comes to UCLA with great talent and potential. Kramer can be a big contributor early for the Bruins on vault where she has a beautiful Yurchenko 1.5 -- adding a 10.0 start value to the lineup. Watch for Kramer to grow this season and gain experience to deepen the lineup for the Bruins.

Giulianna Pino

Pino is a freshman who hails from Miami, Florida, where she trained at Universal Gymnastics. Pino trained with Olympian Danell Leyva and was coached by his coach and father, Yin Alvarez. She was a member of the Ecuadorian National Team, and she competed at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 Pacific Rim Championships. With beautiful lines and flexibility, Pino will be a gymnast who will gain great experience and provide a boost to the depth of the Bruins this season. .

Kyla Ross

Ross is another incredible talent that comes to UCLA with a truly amazing gymnastics resume. She is a native of Aliso Viejo, California, where she trained at Gym-Max and was a member of the "Fierce Five" gold medal-winning 2012 Olympic Team. Following her success in London, Ross trained for the 2016 Olympics but ultimately retired from elite gymnastics in early 2016 after battling injuries and deciding to focus on her college career. Ross is looking strong in preseason training and will surely make a splash for the Bruins this season with her beautiful lines and elegance. She is training a new Omelianchik vault, which will bring another 10.0 to the Bruins lineup.

Kondos-Field on Kyla Ross
"I just have felt from the time Kyla was little that she should come to UCLA. I felt it was a perfect fit for her, and I'm so glad that she came to that realization as well. Coming to UCLA, she can have it all. You get a Kyla Ross once in a blue moon. She is the quintessential student-athlete and coming in with amazing credentials as an Olympic gold medalist and multiple World medalist."


Mercedez Sanchez

Sanchez is a level 10 gymnast from Agoura Hills, California, who trained at Matrix Gymnastics. She qualified to the 2015 and 2016 Regional Championship and brings great flexibility and elegance to her gymnastics. Sanchez adds depth to this Bruins team and will gain valuable experience in her freshman season.


Related:
Florida Freshmen Aim to Get Gators Back on Top
LSU Tigers Add International Talent
Oklahoma Gets Incredible Boost of Talent from Freshmen Class



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