Unless you are Simone Biles, every gymnast is underrated in one way or another. In this piece, however, we wanted to give some visibility to both very accomplished gymnasts who may be underdogs on a team of stars as well as to athletes who are less spoken about because they are committed to lesser known teams or excel on only one event in particular The signing period for the class of 2021 begins on Wednesday. Keep an eye out for these gymnasts to make things official.
Lindsay Bacheler
College: Maryland
Current CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Bacheler enters her fifth and final level 10 season in 2020. She is a former Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier and North Carolina state champion in the all around. In 2020 she scored 38.000-plus in every meet, as well as set a career high of 9.900 on bars.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: Maryland can be a bit of a mystery to fans. In the last few years, it’s perhaps been best known for the gymnasts that transferred away from College Park. Bachelor is a future star with every chance of changing that trend, becoming a fantasy draft first round mainstay and potentially a major record book presence for the Terps. She has no real weak event, but her bars and beam have the highest level of college readiness.
Sloane Blakely
College: Florida
Current CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Blakely is a senior elite who competed at the U.S. championships in 2016, 2018 and 2019. She is the 2019 American Classic champion on beam.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: As an elite, Blakely is hardly an underrated gymnast. However, we feel that she belonged in this category because she is the lesser talked about of Florida’s insanely talented 2021-22 freshman class. Her beam work is exquisite and will be in contention for a lineup spot from day one. Her double Arabian on floor is also a thing of beauty and will make a difference in college, especially if some of her elite teammates will need time to get adjusted to the collegiate world.
Sophia Groth
College: Auburn
Current CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Groth is a five-time level 10 nationals qualifier (2015-19). She won multiple medals there over the years, including a bronze in the all around in 2016 and gold on beam in 2015.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: We feel a bit for Groth because she is joining Auburn the same year as Sunisa Lee, and as a result it is likely that she will not get all the attention she deserves. She should, though, because her gymnastics is difficult and her form is exceptional on all four pieces. Her bar and beam work is particularly exquisite, but she could become a top all arounder, too.
Sidney Washington
College: Pittsburgh
Current CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Washington is a 2019 level 10 nationals qualifier and the Michigan state champion in the all around, vault, bars and floor.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: Washington is going to be a game changer for Pitt. She is an excellent all arounder with a fun personality on floor, a big full-twisting Yurchenko on vault and a difficult bar routine. Remember her name!
Anapaula Gutierrez
College: Stanford
Current CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Gutierrez competes as both a level 10 and as an elite for Mexico. As a level 10, she is a two-time nationals medalist and a Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier. As an elite, she competed at both the Pan American Games and the world championships in 2019.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: Gutierrez could make a huge difference for the Cardinal on vault, which was its weakest apparatus in 2020; her Yurchenko 1.5 already scored a 10.0 in club. She also competes a difficult floor routine, and her bar and beam work will contend for lineup spots.
Ashley Blum
College: Washington
Current CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Blum is a three-time level 10 nationals qualifier (2016, 2018 and 2019). She is the 2019 national co-champion on beam and the 2019 Region 2 champion on bars.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: Blum is not the cleanest gymnast, but she performs such difficult skills that she must be on your radar. She can compete a double front on floor and the same as a dismount, as well as a standing Arabian, on beam.
Genevieve Sabado-Baez
College: Air Force
Current CGN: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Sabado-Baez is a three-time level 10 nationals qualifier (2017-19). She tied for bronze on beam in 2017. She is the 2019 Region 1 bronze medalist in the all around, vault, bars and floor.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: Sabado-Baez could become a star at Air Force. She is a strong all arounder, with floaty moves on both bars and beam, as well as gorgeous amplitude on her acrobatic elements on beam.
Emma Simpton
College: Nebraska
Current CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Simpton is a 2018 and 2018 level 10 nationals qualifier. She is the 2019 Texas co-champion on vault and the Region 3 champion on floor. She tried to qualify elite both in 2017 and 2018.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: Simpton is a gymnast to remember especially for her bars, where her lines and toe point are exceptional. She scored as high as a 9.950 this year; you don’t want to miss her routines!
Lia Kmieciak
College: Central Michigan
Current CGN Rating: Not Rated
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Kmieciak is a 2019 level 10 nationals qualifier and the 2018 Illinois state bronze medalist on floor.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: Kmieciak’s bars are going to be exceptional for CMU. She scored as high as a 9.900 for her beautiful routine, which includes a double layout as straight as a pencil. Don’t forget about her!
Ayzhia Hall
College: Nebraska
Current CGN Rating: Not Rated
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
Hall is a 2019 level 10 nationals qualifier and the 2019 Arkansas state champion on beam. She also won silver medals in the all around, vault and bars at the 2019 state meet and silver on vault at the Region 2 regionals.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: Hall is an elegant gymnast with gorgeous splits on beam. She scored as high as a 9.800, so watch out! She also has a lot of potential on floor, where she stands out for form and elegance.
Shannon Carroll
College: Uncommitted
Current CGN Rating: Not Rated
Videos: VT | UB | BB | FX
2019 was Carroll’s first year as a level 10, and it was a successful one—she won bronze medals on vault and floor at the New Hampshire state meet and qualified to regionals.
Why She’s Worth Noticing: Carroll scored a 10.0 on floor this year, a rarity in club. Her routine is not super difficult, but she can stick all her landings cold. What coach wouldn’t want a gymnast like her?
READ THIS NEXT: Breaking Down the Top Rated Gymnasts in the Class of 2021
Article by Talitha Ilacqua and Rebecca Scally
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