Incoming Freshmen: UF & OU

Incoming Freshmen: UF & OU

Jun 17, 2014 by Becca Reed
Incoming Freshmen: UF & OU
Now that the excitement has began to die down from the 2014 NCAA season, it’s time to look forward to the 2015 season! We will be looking at the incoming freshmen classes and will start with the National Champions- Florida and Oklahoma. 
 
Florida
 
Back to back National Champions welcome a stellar class this fall including Kennedy Baker, Ericha Fassbender, and Grace McLaughlin, according to GatorZone. Originally signed for the 2015-2016 year, Alex McMurtry recently got added to the 2014-2015 freshman class and is planning to enroll this fall, according to GatorZone
 


Pictured: Baker, McLaughlin, Fassbender, via Fassbender's Instagram

Kennedy Baker is a former Senior US National Team Member from Texas Dreams. Kennedy dropped down to level 10 this year in preparation for college and dominated the competition at the WOGA Classic with an incredible 39.3. While she has naturally cut back her skills and watered down her routines for college, she told Gymnastike in an interview that she still wants to compete her piked arabian double front as well as her wolf turn on beam (watch her quintuple wolf turn here!). Baker has the potential to make an immediate impact on the team with routines strong enough to gain her an all-around spot. While she has the big skills and power on vault and floor, she is also solid and consistent on bars and beam. Watch her 9.85 floor routine from the 2014 WOGA Classic below.

 

Ericha Fassbender was part of the 2010-2011 Junior US National Team and currently trains at Stars Gymnastics. Fassbender competed twice internationally including the 2011 Jesolo Trophy where USA won gold. She returned to level 10 and has had successful seasons the past three years. She placed fifth all-around at this year’s JO Nationals with a 38.15. Even as a level 10, she has competed many of her difficult skills including a pike full in on floor and a yurchenko 1 1/2. Fassbender has beautiful lines and makes her skills look effortless. Watch her second place bar routine from Texas Prime.
 
Grace McLaughlin was on the Senior US National Team in 2011-2012 and competed at the 2011 Pan American Games where USA took gold. In September of 2013, McLaughlin moved from WOGA to Brandy Johnson’s Global Gymnastics in Florida where she now trains under coaches Kelly Pitzen and Brandy Johnson-Sharpf. This season McLaughlin competed at the Texas Prime and Atlanta Crown Invitational and placed first all-around in both meets. Watch an interview with her here and watch Grace’s beam routine from the 2014 Texas Prime here.

Alex McMurtry is standout level 10 gymnast from Richmond Olympiad in Virginia. McMurtry is a seven time JO National event champion and four time member of the JO National Team. While never an elite, McMurtry has been at the top of the level 10 scene for years. She is known for her big skills and difficulty including her double twisting yurchenko. Watch her 9.9 vault from this year's JO Nationals here and her floor routine here

 
 
 

Oklahoma
 
First time National Champions Oklahoma are welcoming an equally exciting class including Brenna Dowell, Stefani Catour, Samantha Craus, and Alyssa “A.J.” Jackson, according to SoonerSports


Pictured: Craus, Dowell, Catour, Jackson via Jackson's Instagram

Brenna Dowell is arguably the most decorated gymnast to join the Sooners in history. Dowell is a current US National Team member who trains at GAGE with Al Fong. While she has signed with OU, she told Gymnastike that she plans to defer at least until January to pursue the World Championships. See that interview with Dowell after her second place finish at this year’s American Cup here. Dowell is incredibly strong on all four events and should have no problem making the OU lineup. Watch Brenna’s gorgeous bar routine from the 2014 American Cup below, video via USAG.

 

Stefani Catour is a former junior international elite who trains at Desert Lights Gymnastics under head coach Lisa Spini. She returned to level 10 in 2012 and has qualified for JO Nationals the past two years. Watch an interview with Catour here and watch Stefani’s 9.7 floor routine with a gorgeous pike full in from the 2014 Classic Rock Invitational here.
 
Samantha Craus is a walk-on level 10 who trains at U.S. Gold Gymnastics and Cheer in Grapevine, Texas. While she does not have the elite background than many of the top level recruits have, OU coach K.J. Kindler explained the passion and perseverance they saw in Craus, “You can see that she has a deep love for gymnastics and a fire that has propelled her through the difficulty of rehab, setbacks and frustration. I am in awe of her motivation and I look forward to watching her continue to progress.” Watch Craus on bars from the 2011 Texas state meet here.
 
A.J. Jackson is a level 10 gymnast who trains at Eagles Gymnastics. Jackson’s natural strength and power is obvious on floor and vault but also shines through on bars with her big pike Jeager. She is seen as a vault and floor gymnast but Kindler notes that she is just as strong as an all-arounder. Jackson is a three time JO National Champion on vault and made the JO National Team for her third place finish in 2012. Watch Jacksons HUGE Yurchenko 1 1/2 here