Gowey to Florida, Kelly to LSU, and More Big NCAA Commitments
Gowey to Florida, Kelly to LSU, and More Big NCAA Commitments
With the conclusion of the level 10 season, NCAA teams around the country are starting to receive verbal commitments from the nation's top recruits. Below are the most recent verbal commitments to the top 15 NCAA gymnastics programs. We will continue to update this page throughout the summer.
9/7/13 Maggie Nichols of Twin City Twisters has committed to the University of Oklahoma. Nichols is a senior elite and member of the U.S. National Team. Nichols placed 5th in the all around at the 2013 P&G Championships and will participate in the World Team selection camp later this month.
7/15/22: 2012 British Olympian Jennifer "Jenni" Pinches announced via twitter that she will be doing gymnastics for UCLA. Apparently there is still business to sort out, though, as she noted the arrangement would not be made official until September. This is an exciting pick up for the Bruins, who finished 2013 ranked 4th. At age 19, Pinches has years of international elite experience and her bubbly personality will fit well into the collegiate gymnastics system. Pinches represented Great Britain at the 2010 World Championships in Rotterdam, 2011 World Championships in Tokyo, and ended her elite career at the London Olympics. Her 55.266 all around score helped Team GB advance to the country's first ever Olympic Team Final. Click here to read more about Jenni's career and NCAA commitment.
On July 8th, Parkettes elite Meredith Sylvia (Class of 2017) announced a verbal commitment to Auburn University. Sylvia is a junior international elite and the 2013 WOGA Classic Junior All Around Champion. In 2012, she was the American Classic all around and floor champion and a Visa Championships qualifier.
At age fourteen, Meredith is the youngest athlete to make her college choice so far this summer. She will not join the program until the 2017-2018 school year. NCAA Gymnastics recruiting has seen a trend lately of verbally committing to a University as young as your freshman year of high school. Read more about freshman commitments here.
On July 4th, Cassidy Keelen (Class of 2016) of Texas Dreams announced her commitment to Cal-Berkeley. Keelen is a level 10 trains on the Dream Team under coaches Kim Zmeskal-Burdette and Chris Burdette. She qualified to the 2013 J.O. Nationals after finishing first on vault and floor as well as second all around at Regionals. However, she was unable to compete at Nationals due to injury. Keelen has won three consecutive Texas State All Around titles (Level 10 in 2013 and 2012, and Level 9 in 2011) and was the 2011 Western National Champion.
Keelen will join fellow Texans Dana Ho (class of 2013), Jessica Howe (class of 2013), and Emily Howe (class of 2015) of WOGA. Cal finished the 2013 season ranked just 28th but with recruits of this caliber coming in and an energetic new head coach, they are on their way to becoming National Championship contenders.
9/7/13 Maggie Nichols of Twin City Twisters has committed to the University of Oklahoma. Nichols is a senior elite and member of the U.S. National Team. Nichols placed 5th in the all around at the 2013 P&G Championships and will participate in the World Team selection camp later this month.
7/30/13 - Alexis "Poof" Beucler (Class of 2016) has committed to Georgia. Poof is an International Elite who recently made the switch from Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy to Brandy Johnson's Global Gymnastics in Florida. She finished 13th all around in the junior division of the 2012 Visa Championships. In one of her only meets during the 2013 season, Poof won the all around and three events at the CGA Coaches Spectacular. Her older sister, Marissa Beucler, just finished her freshman season as a gymnast for the University of Kentucky.
7/24/13 - Level 10 McKenna Singley (Class of 2015) is headed to Oregon State. She is a 2013 JO National Champion on the uneven bars. Singley trains at Olympus Gymnastics in Utah. Despite winning the 2013 Pac12 Team Title, OSU finished the season ranked 16th nationally after a disappointing Regional meet.
7/24/13 - Level 10 McKenna Singley (Class of 2015) is headed to Oregon State. She is a 2013 JO National Champion on the uneven bars. Singley trains at Olympus Gymnastics in Utah. Despite winning the 2013 Pac12 Team Title, OSU finished the season ranked 16th nationally after a disappointing Regional meet.
7/22/13 Canadian Olympian Dominque Pegg is cleared with the NCAA and will compete for the University of Alabama next season! Pegg has spent ten years training at Bluewater Gymnastics Club under coaches Dave and Liz Brubaker. Pegg was an important piece to Canadian's 2012 Olympic team who finished fifth in the Olympic team final, the nation's best finish to date. Individually, she finished 17th in the all around final. Pegg will head to Tuscaloosa this August and make an immediate impact on the Crimson Tide. Bama closed out 2013 with a third place finish at the National Championships. Click here to read the full story.
7/22/13 Jessica Yamzon (Class of 2016) announced her commitment to the University of Arkansas. The Gymbacks finished their 2013 campaign ranked 10th nationally. Yamzon is a level 10 gymnast who trains at the famed Gymnats club in Nevada. She's a 2012 J.O. National qualifier and the 2013 J.O. NIT All Around, Bars, and Beam Champion.
7/15/22: 2012 British Olympian Jennifer "Jenni" Pinches announced via twitter that she will be doing gymnastics for UCLA. Apparently there is still business to sort out, though, as she noted the arrangement would not be made official until September. This is an exciting pick up for the Bruins, who finished 2013 ranked 4th. At age 19, Pinches has years of international elite experience and her bubbly personality will fit well into the collegiate gymnastics system. Pinches represented Great Britain at the 2010 World Championships in Rotterdam, 2011 World Championships in Tokyo, and ended her elite career at the London Olympics. Her 55.266 all around score helped Team GB advance to the country's first ever Olympic Team Final. Click here to read more about Jenni's career and NCAA commitment.
On July 8th, Parkettes elite Meredith Sylvia (Class of 2017) announced a verbal commitment to Auburn University. Sylvia is a junior international elite and the 2013 WOGA Classic Junior All Around Champion. In 2012, she was the American Classic all around and floor champion and a Visa Championships qualifier.
At age fourteen, Meredith is the youngest athlete to make her college choice so far this summer. She will not join the program until the 2017-2018 school year. NCAA Gymnastics recruiting has seen a trend lately of verbally committing to a University as young as your freshman year of high school. Read more about freshman commitments here.
On July 4th, Cassidy Keelen (Class of 2016) of Texas Dreams announced her commitment to Cal-Berkeley. Keelen is a level 10 trains on the Dream Team under coaches Kim Zmeskal-Burdette and Chris Burdette. She qualified to the 2013 J.O. Nationals after finishing first on vault and floor as well as second all around at Regionals. However, she was unable to compete at Nationals due to injury. Keelen has won three consecutive Texas State All Around titles (Level 10 in 2013 and 2012, and Level 9 in 2011) and was the 2011 Western National Champion.
Keelen will join fellow Texans Dana Ho (class of 2013), Jessica Howe (class of 2013), and Emily Howe (class of 2015) of WOGA. Cal finished the 2013 season ranked just 28th but with recruits of this caliber coming in and an energetic new head coach, they are on their way to becoming National Championship contenders.
We have confirmation that Rachel Gowey (Class of 2016) of Chow's Gymnastics has verbally committed to the University of Florida, the defending NCAA Champions. After sitting out the 2013 Level 10 season to focus on entering elite competition, Gowey recently qualified to the senior international elite level and advanced to the 2013 Secret Classic. As a level 10, Gowey was the 2012 JO National Beam Champion and All Around runner up, and the 2012 Region 4 and Iowa State All Around Champion. Watch for Gowey in our upcoming "Beyond the Routine" with Chow's Gymnastics.
McKenna Kelley (Class of 2015), daughter of 1984 Olympic Champion Mary Lou Retton, who soon take to the NCAA floor. After a strong interest in Georgia, Kelly recently announced her intentions to compete for #5 LSU. Kelly finished 5th all around at the 2013 JO National Championships and trains at Stars Gymnastics in Texas.
Shannon McNatt (Class of 2015), also of Stars Gymnastics, has committed to Utah. McNatt is a former elite and made it all the way to U.S. Championships in 2012. She is now back in level 10 and finished 8th All Around at JO Nationals
Shea Mahoney at the 2013 JO Nationals
Shea Mahoney (Class of 2016) of Legacy Elite in in Illinois has committed to Alabama. She is the 2013 JO National Floor Champion and made the JO National team, finishing 3rd all around. She was also the 2013 Region 5 Beam Champion. Bama closed out their 2013 campaign ranked 3rd nationally after winning back to back team titles in 2011 and 2012.
Mahoney's Legacy Elite teammate Christina Berg (Class of 2016) announced that she will be joining her in the SEC. Berg committed to Auburn University who finished the 2013 season ranked 13th nationally. Chrissy has been a level 10 for three years and is a two time JO National Qualifier (2011, 2013) and an NIT competitor in 2012.
Auburn also landed Katie Becker (Class of 2016) of Everest Gymnastics in North Carolina. She finished 8th all around at 2012 JO Nationals.
Chanen Raygoza on beam at the 2012 JO Nationals.
In surprise fashion, Chanen Raygoza (Class of 2014) of Wildfire Gymnastics in California has announced her commitment to #15 Penn State. Raygoza previously announced a verbal commitment to Georgia. She was 3rd all around at the 2011 JO Nationals and was the 2012 Region 1 All Around and Uneven Bars Champion. Raygoza missed the 2013 season with injury.
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