The 2012 Women's Junior Olympic Nationals were held in May 2012 in Virginia, showcasing some of the nation's top future gymnasts. The vast plurality of college gymnasts competed at the Level 10 ranks. In our experience, a Top 5 finish at the JO National meet usually translates into a high level of success at the NCAA level, barring injury or other unforeseen issues. However, a single fall can cause an athlete to fall well down the standings at the JO Nationals.
Here's a summary of the results and links to th available online video of the meet.
Summer is right around the corner and for every prospect that is in the hunt to match his or her talent with the right college program, opportunity approaches. Summer opens up more time on the daily schedule and with that, the chance to close in on some key elements of the college search.
The Canadian Championships concluded with the event finals, made all the more important through the use of a point system to determine the Canadian Olympic squad. Stanford's Kristina Vaculik had an exceptional day, winning bars and beam, placing 2nd on floor and 4th on beam. UGA incoming frosh Brittany Rogers was 2nd on vault while former Oregon State star Laura Ann Chong was 3rd on bars.
Link: Results
At the finals of the National Open division of the Canadian Championships, Lory-Jing Robert won the AA title with ease, posting a 55.35, winning beam, while placing 2nd on floor, 4th on bars and 4th(t) on vault. MSU signee Nicola Deans was 2nd, including 1st on floor, 2nd on vault, and 2nd on beam.
Link: Results
Aly Raisman won the title at the US Classic on Saturday afternoon, posting a 60.35 to win the title. UGA signee Brandie Jay posted a 55.0 to claim 6th. Former UCLA star Anna Li posted a 53.5 for eigth, with a fall on uneven bars, her key event. Bama commit Amanda Jetter was 10th, with UF commit Grace McLaughlin in 11th. Former Arkansas star Casey Jo Magee posted a 40 in three events, and did not qualify to VISA's. OU commit McKenzie Wofford was just behind with a 39.8.
Link: Results
Stanford's Kristina Vaculik won her third Canadian AA title last night, solidifying her run for an Olympic team position. Close behind in a second place tie were rising star Victoria Moors and Dominique Pegg. Pegg struggled in preliminaries but came back strongly. LSU signee Jessica Savona was 4th, and UGA signee Brittany Rogers was 6th. Another UGA frosh-to-be, Anysia Unick, was 9th.
Link: Results
Stephanie Stowe, L10 at Desert Devils in Arizona, has accepted a scholarship to UW. She placed in the top 5 AA at most of her meets this season, including a win at the Monarch Malibu Coast Challenge. She placed 2nd AA at her state meet, 1st AA and 1st UB at regionals, and 22nd AA at JOs.
Watch her cool beam mount video and her YouTube.com Channel
Lory-Jing Robert was the top AA finisher at the preliminaries of the National Open division at the Canadian Championships. MSU signee Nicola Deans was 6th AA.
Link: Results
Caitlin Fovenyessy, L10 at San Mateo Gymnastics in California, will walk on at Boise State this fall. Caitlin placed 3rd AA at the 2010 Western Championships before moving to Level 10 in 2011 and she has had numerous top ten finishes over her L10 career.
Olivia O'Connor, L10 at New Image Gymnastics in New York, has committed to William and Mary. This season Olivia placed 11th AA at her state meet, 4th AA at regionals and 36th AA at JOs.
Megan Greenfield, L10 at Trinity Academy of Gymnastics in Illinois, has accepted a scholarship offer to Northern Illinois. Megan finished in the top 10 at all of her meets during the season and went on to place 9th at her state meet. She placed 11th AA at regionals and 8th AA at the NIT.
Mackenzie Bennion, L10 at Brown's in Las Vegas, has committed to Boise State. Mackenzie placed in the top five on bars throughout the 2012 season, including a win at the Long Beach Open. She placed 7th AA at her state meet, 9th AA at regionals and 5th AA at the NIT.
UGA has officially confirmed earlier reports and has named Cal coach Danna Durante as the new Head Coach for the Gym Dog program. Prior to Cal, Durante was the associate Head Coach at Nebraska and an assistant at Washington, winning National Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2007 and Regional honors in 1999 and 2002. A former elite National Team and Olympic Trials qualifier (as Danna Lister), she score five 10s as an athlete at ASU.
At Cal, Durante had laid the groundwork for strengthening the Cal program, raising their average score significantly and earning verbal commitments of several top L10 and elite-level athletes for the 2013-2014 school year.
Cal, in a release, noted they will start a national search for a replacement.
As she completes her staff and Cal makes their decisions, we'll likely see some more coaching changes throughout the summer.
Link: UGA Release and Cal Release
Briel Muhlestein, L10 at USA Gymnastics World Utah, has committed to Utah State. This season she placed 4th AA at the Lady Luck Invitational, 2nd AA (1st FX) at her state meet and 16th AA at regionals.
Memory Shettles, L10 at Georgia Gymnastics Academy, has committed to Southern Utah. She won the Cloverleaf Invitational (1st AA; Vault) and won beam at the Atlanta Crown, competing with a cast on her wrist. Memory recently placed 2nd AA at the JO NITs where she also placed 3rd on floor. She is the GA floor state champ and also placed 2nd on the balance beam.
Stanford's Kristina Vaculik led the AA qualifications at the 2012 Canadian Championships. She posted a 56.35 to outdistance rising newcomers Victoria Moors and Ellie Black. LSU signee Jessica Savona was 4th, showing her successful comeback from injury. UCLA commit Mikaela Gerber was 5th. UGA signee Anysia Unick was 7th, just ahead of future teammate Brittany Rogers, who tied for 8th. Oregon State commit Taylor Ricci was 18th while Oregon State grad Laura Ann Chong was 19th.
UCLA signee Christine "Peng Peng" Lee injured her knee in training.
Link: Results