Incoming Freshman- Pac 12

Until the start of the NCAA season in January, our freshmen previews will provide some background info on the incoming freshmen for some of the top gymnastics schools in the nation.

In this preview, we look at some of the top schools from the Pac 12! 

UCLA

Angi Cipra

Event(s): All Around

Gym:Desert Devils

Accomplishments: 

2013 State Vault Champion

2012 JO Nationals- 3rd Vault and 1st Floor
2012 Regionals- 1st AA, VT, UB, BB, and FX
2012 States- 1st AA, VT, UB, BB, and FX






How She Can Help The Team: 

Angi is a strong addition to the UCLA team and is capable of bringing in some big scores this season. She's a powerful gymnast and very dynamic, so her strongest events are vault and floor (check out that huge full-in!), however Coach Val says she might eventually compete in the all around this season. Angi tends to get down on herself easily when she makes a mistake, so Val says they are going to ease her into the lineup. 

Mikaela Gerber

Events(s): Bars, Beam, and Floor
Gym: Oakville Gymnastics
Accomplishments:
2012 Canadian Championships- 12th AA and 4th Beam
2012 Grand Prix- 7th Vault

2011 Pan American Games- 1st Team and Floor
2011 Worlds- 11th Team
2010 Canadian Championships- 2nd AA

 

How She Can Help The Team: 

Mikaela is such a beautiful gymnast and really fits in with the "artistic" reputation that UCLA has. Since she's still not at full strength from her shoulder surgery, she might not make too many lineup spots- at least at the beginning of the season, but Coach Val says she will be a great back up on bars, beam, and floor!

 
Jessy MacArthur

Event(s): Vault and Bars
Gym: GymJam
Accomplishments:
3 time JO National Invitational Tournament qualifier
2013 Regionals- 3rd Bars and 8th AA

 



How She Can Help The Team: 
Since she suffered from a stress fracture last year, Jessy is still in the recovery process and will contribute mostly on vault and bars this season which are her strongest events.


 
Hallie Mossett

Events: All Around
Gym: West Coast Elite
Accomplishments: 
US National Team Member (2009 & 2011)
2011 Visa Championships- 11th AA and 8th Floor
2011 American Classic- Floor Champion
2009 USA-Japan International- 1st Team and 4th AA




How She Can Help The Team: 
Hallie is the perfect combination of power and beauty. After two major surgeries in the last two years (Hip and ACL) Hallie is being paced slowly and should make a big impact in the lineups later in the season. However at the start of the season Coach Val would like to see her competing bars, beam, and watered down floor routines.

 

Jennifer Pinches

Events: Vault, Bars, and Floor
Gym: City of Liverpool
Accomplishments: 
2012 Great Britain Olympic Team Member
2012 British Championships- Beam Champion and 2nd AA
2010 Glasgow Cup- 3rd Floor



 
How She Can Help The Team:
After the 2012 Olympics, Jennifer retired from gymnastics because she thought she was done. Then she got a call from Valorie Condos Field and before she knew it she was back in the gym doing gymnastics again. Jenni is a fabulous gymnast and is going to be great on the college scene. According to Coach Val you can expect to see her in the vault, bars, and floor lineups this season. 


 
Alex Waller

Events: All Around
Gym: Gym Jam
Accomplishments: 
2013 JO National Invitational Tournament- Beam Champion
2012 JO National Invitational Tournament- 9th AA



 

How She Can Help The Team:
With her parents being the assistant coaches, Alex has been involved with the UCLA gymnastics program for as long as she can remember. She is very tall for a gymnast (5'5) and has very nice lines. Alex will be a solid addition to the lineup on bars and beam this season.

 
 
UTAH

Baely Rowe
 Events: All Around
Gym: Auburn Gymnastics Center 
Accomplishments: 
2013 JO National Champion
2013 Regional Champion
2013 State Champion
2012 JO Nationals- 2nd AA
2012 Nastia Cup- 7th AA




How She Can Help The Team:
Baely is going to be a strong addition for Utah on all four events. She is truly an all around gymnast who can bring in big scores on every event. The pressure is on for Baely though, as she is the only member of Utah's freshman class. 

 

STANFORD

Rachel Daum

Event(s): All Around

Gym: Stars Houston

Accomplishments: 
Elite gymnast from 2009-2010

2013 JO Nationals- 2nd UB and 5th VT

2013 Regional Champion

2013 State Champion

2012 JO Nationals- 3rd AA

2011 JO Nationals- VT and FX Champion

How She Can Help The Team: 
Rachel is a very dynamic gymnast who is capable of bringing in big scores on vault and floor. She placed 2nd on bars at last years JO Nationals so I could definitely see her sneaking into the lineup on that event too sometime later in the season! 

Carinne Gale

Event(s): All Around
Gym: Monarchs National Gymnastics
Accomplishments:
Elite gymnast in 2009
2012 JO National Competitor
2011 JO Nationals- 6th AA
2008 US Challenge- 2nd AA





How She Can Help The Team:
Carinne is a very elegant gymnast who I could see factoring into the all around at some point in her career. However, she did not compete much last season (I'm assuming injuries were a factor) and she doesn't have the most experience out of the entire freshmen class. I predict that Carinne might only see action on a few events this year but could be very useful to Stanford's program in the near future!

 

Sophia Lee

Event(s): All Around
Gym: WOGA
Accomplishments:
Elite gymnast from 2008-2011
2012 JO Nationals- 3rd AA
2012 State Champion
2011 Visa Championships- 9th AA


 
How She Can Help The Team: 
Sophia Lee is a name you might remember from the elite scene. She's a powerful gymnast who will likely see herself in the lineup on floor this season. I could also see Sophia making the vault lineup if needed and may eventually become a strong all arounder for Stanford later in the season. Sophia did not compete last year which could possibly play a role in her lineup positions this year.


 
  
Danielle Mcnair

Events: All Around
Gym: Gym Max
Accomplishments: 
Elite gymnast in 2009
5 time JO National Qualifier


 


How She Can Help The Team: 
Danielle is strong on vault and floor and will likely be used on those events. She also has a very nice bar set that could bring in a decent score for the Cardinals. 



 
Nicolette Mcnair

Events: All Around
Gym: Gym Max
Accomplishments: 
Elite gymnast from 2009-2010
2013 JO Nationals- 1st UB and 3rd AA






How She Can Help The Team:
Like her sister, Nicolette is a powerful gymnast who will be a great addition to the vault and floor lineups. But don't be surprised if you see her competing on all four events this year because she is also great on bars and beam and can bring in some big scores with her consistency.

 

Haley Spector

Events: All Around
Gym: Deltchev Gymnastics Academy 
Accomplishments: 
2012 Regionals- 1st Floor
2012 JO Nationals- 2nd Beam and 4th Floor



 

How She Can Help The Team:
Hayley is a strong candidate to compete on all four events for Stanford this year but will likely only compete beam and floor at the beginning of the season since they are her strongest events. 

 




Click (here) to check out the incoming freshmen from the Big 10.
Click (here) to check out the incoming freshman from the Big 12.

All photos came from the websites of the colleges.