It’s been an odd year, which makes it easy to lose track of what’s coming for the 2021 season. With some huge freshmen debuts on the horizon—Haleigh Bryant, Carly Bauman, Mya Hooten, Andrea Li, Gabby Perea—it has been easy to overlook some of their classmates. Below we’ve compiled a list of freshmen who’ve been out of the spotlight but should shine come January.
Sydney Gonzalez, Oregon State
Gonzalez is one of the rare level 10s who moves with the poise and confidence of a collegiate athlete. She’s poised to make a smooth and immediate transition. Don’t miss her front aerial + side aerial + full beam dismount or Yurchenko full-on pike-off vault. (Read that again.)
Naomi Morrison, Michigan
Michigan has a stacked roster this year, and Carly Bauman has garnered most of the preseason freshman hype. Classmate Morrison is poised to be a star in her own right, with a full-twisting double layout bar dismount, huge vault and excellent tumbling.
Alex Magee, Florida
Florida’s roster often contains a couple of in-state walk-ons who don’t usually see a great deal of competition time. It would be easy to assume Magee will be a background figure—but it would be a mistake to overlook her. Her gorgeous press handstand beam mount caught our eye, and she’s been featured heavily in both bars and beam training updates all preseason.
Sara Ulias, UCLA
Underrated expert editor Rebecca once said in casual conversation that Ulias could have “Kyla Ross level” form on bars. It’s not a lie. We don’t really need to say more than that.
Amaya Marshall, Missouri
Missouri is often lost in the SEC shuffle, but Marshall has big tumbling and is a potential all arounder who could help elevate the Tigers. She’s especially important now that Helen Hu is out.
Skylar Kilhough-Wilhelm, Washington
Kilhough-Wilhelm, a Triad product, had top level 10 scores on vault, bars, beam and the all around in 2020. She finished fifth at the Nastia Liukin Cup and was second on beam in the Senior C division at 2019 level 10 nationals. She’ll inject immediate talent in the Huskies’ lineups. Also important? Triad level 10s compete a lot. Kilhough-Wilhelm hasn’t sat out an event since 2016, a testament to her health.
Emma Otsu, UC Davis
By the numbers, Otsu is one of the best recruits ever to join an MPSF team. With a level 10 career high of 10.0 on vault and 38.950 in the all around, she would be at home in any signing class in the country. She is a factor on every event, but her Omelianchik vault will make a splash immediately.
Carina Jordan, N.C. State
Jordan, whose recruiting saga began at Florida, then Utah before she switched her commitment finally to N.C. State, is a former elite and Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier who seems likely on at least three pieces for the surging Wolfpack.
Isabella Magnelli, Kentucky
Magnelli is a potential all arounder who is bringing a 10.0 start value vault. She’s a powerful bar worker and boasts a triple series on beam. The Wildcats will be without Mollie Korth, and Magnelli is a big piece of the rebuilding puzzle.
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Article by Emily Minehart and Rebecca Scally
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