Gymnast Rachel Cutler, a Northview High School senior, headed to University of Minnesota

GRAND RAPIDS – Rachel Cutler, a two time all-around Region 5 champion and a four-time national qualifier, plans to sign a national letter of intent in a brief ceremony Wednesday morning at Northview High School.

Cutler, who trains at Twistars USA Gymnastics Club in Lansing, is a senior at Northview.

“When I visited (Minnesota) I felt like I belonged there,” Cutler said. “It felt like home.”

She also visited the University of Michigan, University of Arizona ans Auburn before choosing Minnesota.

“It was everything put together,” Cutler said of Minnesota. “The girls at the gym were super awesome, the coaches were great and the campus was perfect; it wasn't too big and it wasn't too small.”

Cutler has not yet decided what course of study she plans to pursue at Minnesota.

“Rachel will be an impact athlete for the national caliber Minnesota program,” said John Geddert, the head coach at Twistars, who also served as head coach of the U.S women's gymnastics team at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. “She is an athlete that does not have a weak event and will contribute with her strong leadership skills.

Cutler's favorite gymnastics event is the uneven parallel bars, where she was a two-time member of the Region 5 all-star team.

“The bars are the most thrilling,” she said. “That's where you get the most adrenaline going. The vault though, is the event that puts a lot of pressure on your body.”

While gymnastics can be one of the most punishing of sports, Cutler has managed to avoid any serious injuries.

“My love for it and the goals I've set for myself have kept me going,” she said. “I've always known that there is something better at the end of the road.”

One of those goals was to compete at the collegiate level. “It would be very cool to be an All-American on an event,” Cutler said. “It would be cool to win the Big Ten too.”