Recruiting Roundup: January 2021

Welcome to your monthly recruiting news. Take a look at all the NCAA commits, top club meet results and training updates from the past month in college gymnastics recruiting. Additionally, check out how this month’s commits changed their teams’ class rankings.

Team Class Ranking Tracer

The top 25 ranked teams of the class of 2021 remained unchanged this month. UCLA leads the way, ahead of Florida and California. The commitment of 3-star recruit Mila Brusch to Denver and of 4-star recruit Makenna Smith to Utah, instead, modified the rankings of the class of 2022. While both teams were previously outside the top-25, the Pioneers are now at No. 14 and the Red Rocks at No. 18. Florida remains ranked No. 1, Alabama No. 2 and Cal No. 3.

Commitment Tracker

  • Arkansas commit Kalyxta Gamiao, a 3-star recruit in the class of 2021, is training a new E-tumbling pass on floor: a full-twisting double pike.
  • UC Davis commit Megan Ray’s rare 10.0 start-value vault is looking better and better. It is a Yurchenko half-on front pike off. Ray is a 3-star recruit in the class of 2021.

Uncommitted Watcher

  • Taralyn Nguyen, a 4-star recruit in the class of 2022, showed off an Amanar on vault and a double double on floor on Instagram Stories. 
  • Paige Thaxton (class of 2022) is upping her game, showing off both a double layout and a full-in on floor.
  • Seria Johnson (class of 2022) is training a beautiful double Arabian on floor.
  • Emalee Frost (class of 2022) is training a rare vault: a Yurchenko full-on tuck off.
  • Isabel Sikoń, a Polish national team member in the class of 2023 who trains in Texas, posted a lot of training updates on Instagram Stories. These include a Yurchenko 1.5 on vault, a full-in dismount on bars, a switch leap to switch leap half to back tuck on beam and a double layout on floor.
  • Maya Peters (class of 2023) showed off many inventive and beautifully performed ways of using a side aerial: a side aerial on the side of the beam, side aerial to LOSO to LOSO and side aerial to scale.
  • Kalea McElligott (class of 2023) is training a double-twisting Yurchenko.

Meet Results

  • This month’s Nastia Liukin Cup senior qualifiers are: Bryce Wilson, Gabby Gladieux, Lexi Zeiss, Lilly Hudson and Alex Theodorou. The junior qualifiers are: Madelyn Dorbin, Abby Bednar, Avery Neff, Nina Ballou and Olivia Orengo.
  • Arizona State signee Alex Theodoru, a 3-star recruit in the class of 2021, won the Flames Invitational with a 39.025 and the Fiesta Bowl Invitational with a huge 39.300 to qualify to the NLC. Utah commit Makenna Smith was second at the Fiesta Bowl with a 38.800.
  • Taralyn Nguyen won the Golden State Classic with a 38.650.
  • Florida signee Sloane Blakely, a 4-star recruit in the class of 2021 who also competes elite, posted a 38.775 at the Kim Zmeskal’s Texas Prime Meet, which included a 9.950 on vault. Fellow elite and UCLA signee Emma Malabuyo, a 5-star recruit in the class of 2021, also competed at the meet, posting a 9.900 on bars.
  • 2021 NLC qualifier Bryce Wilson won the Biles Invitational with a 39.050, followed by Washington signee Leah Smith, who posted a 9.950 on vault and a perfect 10.0 on floor.
  • Noelle Adams (class of 2023) won the Arizona Grand Invitational with a 38.850, which included a 9.950 on vault.
  • Michigan signee Jacey Vore, a 5-star recruit in the class of 2021, posted a 38.850 at the Flip For A Cause meet.

Elite Corner

  • Utah signee Kara Eaker, a 5-star recruit in the class of 2021, is training an increasingly solid Yurchenko double.
  • Florida signee Leanne Wong, CGN’s top-rated gymnast in the class of 2021, is exploring new difficult combinations on bars for her Olympic berth.

Interviews

  • California commit eMjae Frazier, a 4-star recruit in the class of 2022, chatted with us about her elite and collegiate goals.
  • Utah commit Makenna Smith, another 4-star recruit in the class of 2022, talked to us about her recent rise to L10 gymnastics and about her decision to commit to Utah.

Commits (Class of 2021)

GymnastNCAA TeamClub GymPersonal BestsVideosSocial Media and News
Cailene AfallaBall StateAtlanta North Stars, GAVT: 9.600
UB: 9.275
BB: 9.475
FX: 9.425
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Brooke McNamaraBowling GreenHead Over Heels, VAVT: 9.625
UB: 8.700
BB: 9.350
FX: 9.450
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Adelaide LiebhardtBrownNAAG, ORVT: 9.075
UB: 8.525
BB: 9.125
FX: 9.000
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Ella BinfetGustavus AdolphusTwin City Twisters, MNLevel 9
VT: 9.300
UB: 9.600
BB: 9.225
FX: 9.575
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Mya RobinsonIllinois StateGenie’s, FLVT: 9.625
UB: 9.600
BB: 9.525
FX: 9.450
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Nyla SmithIllinois StateFirst in Flight, NCVT: 9.325
UB: 8.825
BB: 9.450
FX: 9.475
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Karsyn FosterLIUDiscover, TXVT: 9.825
UB: 9.450
BB: 9.050
FX: 9.450
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Taija WellsSac StateAuburn, WAVT: 9.600
UB: 9.275
BB: 8.850
FX: 9.550
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Natalia KrausSouthern ConnecticutRochester, NYVT: 9.300
UB: 9.175
BB: 9.200
FX: 9.500
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Sarah MoussaSouthern ConnecticutNastics, NYLevel 9
VT: 9.000
UB: 7.825
BB: 9.150
FX: 8.425
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Shreya MunshiSouthern ConnecticutGymnastix, GAVT: 9.100
UB: 9.275
BB: 8.625
FX: 8.950
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Ciana RiosSouthern ConnecticutStar Bound, NJVT: 9.275
UB: 8.750
BB: 9.150
FX: 8.950
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Mayleigh RickeyUrsinusPerfection, OHLevel 9
VT: 9.400
UB: 9.025
BB: 9.325
FX: 9.200
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Erin StubbsUrsinusAerials Fit N Fun, PAVT: 8.650
UB: 6.850
BB: 7.400
FX: 8.050
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Abigail RoseUW-StoutGTC, UTVT: 8.450
UB: 7.900
BB: 7.450
FX: 9.100
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Kara WelshUW-WhitewaterAspire, ILVT: 9.525
UB: 9.475
BB: 9.200
FX: 9.625
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Rachel WielochUW-WhitewaterGymSport, WILevel 9
VT: 9.125
UB: 8.850
BB: 8.800
FX: 9.250
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Katelyn NelsWilliam & MaryPerfection, OHVT: 9.150
UB: 8.100
BB: 8.850
FX: 0.000
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram

Commits (Class of 2022)

GymnastNCAA TeamClub GymPersonal BestsVideosSocial Media and News
Hannah HagleAuburnTexas East, TXVT: 9.275
UB: 9.450
BB: 9.650
FX: 9.450
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Megan BinghamBowling GreenChampion, KYVT: 9.475
UB: 9.675
BB: 9.650
FX: 9.700
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Morgan TrevorBYUWOGA, TXVT: 9.675
UB: 9.675
BB: 9.425
FX: 9.550
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Mila Brusch
⭐️⭐️⭐️
DenverCincinnati, OHVT: 9.900
UB: 9.625
BB: 9.400
FX: 9.775
Personal YouTube ChannelRecruit File
Kasey BurkeGeorge WashingtonGymstreet USA, MAVT: 9.700
UB: 9.450
BB: 9.000
FX: 9.350
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Charlie BehnerTempleGymnastix, GAVT: 9.425
UB: 9.200
BB: 8.200
FX: 9.350
Personal YouTube ChannelInstagram
Makenna Smith
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
UtahGold Cup, NMVT: 9.950
UB: 9.800
BB: 9.625
FX: 9.850
Personal YouTube ChannelRecruit File

READ THIS NEXT: Recruiting Roundup: December 2020


Article by Talitha Ilacqua

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