2025 Commits

[cuuf]

A factor against UCLA is that its gym is pretty small and unimpressive compared to some other schools.

Which schools have the biggest and/or best facilities? I hear Utah and LSU have nice gyms.

LSU built theirs about 5 years ago so it is pretty big and still new. I believe Michigan also has a recently new built training facility. Auburn is in the process of building out a new one. Clemson probably has the nicest right now since it is just completed. I have seen digital renditions of it and it is sweet.

 

[cuuf]

Amelia Disidore to UF. I know they have at least one more spot available if some surprise recruit wants to come…

 

[Sasha]

Sumanasekera to UCLA.

 

[david]

Sumanasekera to UCLA.

That’s great! Where has this been confirmed? I’m only seeing that she visited UCLA.

 

[Caligym]

Here is pic of gymnasts who just had official visit same time as Tiana. That’s Nola Matthews on the left…anyone identify the other 2?

 

[Caligym]

Here is pic of gymnasts who just had official visit same time as Tiana. That’s Nola Matthews on the left…anyone identify the other 2?

Figured out it’s Jordis Eichman and Ava Callahan.

 

[Sasha]

That’s great! Where has this been confirmed? I’m only seeing that she visited UCLA.

You’re right, it was just a photo from the visit. I saw the leo and jumped to conclusions.

 

[cuuf]

Figured out it’s Jordis Eichman and Ava Callahan.

They were at UF this weekend along with Tiana

 

[AmiK]

Ava Marie Callahan to UCLA per her IG story.

 

[blake]

Sophia Diaz ('23 JR E National Champion) to Michigan.

 

[blake]

A factor against UCLA is that its gym is pretty small and unimpressive compared to some other schools.

Which schools have the biggest and/or best facilities? I hear Utah and LSU have nice gyms.

If you think UCLA’s gym is small, Cal’s is microscopic haha, and it houses their MAG team as well. I’m pretty sure they have to put mats on the floor so they can do beam dismounts. It’s amazing they can recruit so well with such a cramped gym.

My local program, Southern Connecticut, splits training between a tiny gym and the field house they compete in. Both SCSU and Yale have used local gyms (New Era and CGA to my knowledge) to supplement their training.

In addition to the schools @cuuf mentioned, Nebraska and Kent St opened a brand new facility last year. Nebraska’s is on par with LSU/Utah imo. Oregon St and Ohio St have very nice gyms, but no idea when they were updated.

 

[Caledi]

If you think UCLA’s gym is small, Cal’s is microscopic haha, and it houses their MAG team as well. I’m pretty sure they have to put mats on the floor so they can do beam dismounts. It’s amazing they can recruit so well with such a cramped gym.

They also don’t have a real landing mat for vault (or didn’t used to; maybe it’s changed). They put a landing mat on top of a pit. I have been wondering if that’s why they’re so weak on vault relative to the other events.

 

[blake]

They also don’t have a real landing mat for vault (or didn’t used to; maybe it’s changed). They put a landing mat on top of a pit. I have been wondering if that’s why they’re so weak on vault relative to the other events.

I follow their Instagram where they post training videos often. I think you’re right - it looks like a bunch of mats stacked over a foam block pit. The vault is also up on a platform - I had a set up like that, and I sometimes had issues adjusting to meets where the runway is on the ground.

Given what I’ve read about the Cal sports department’s budget crisis, I guess I shouldn’t hold my breath on them getting a better facility anytime soon, if ever. I wonder how many recruits chose another school over Cal for the facilities. If I came from a spacious club gym I don’t know if I’d want to deal with such a downgrade.

 

[Sasha]

How much of their recruiting strength comes from the university’s reputation? I don’t know much about US colleges, but I’ve definitely heard of Berkeley and I feel like it’s one of the higher end ones outside the Ivy League. Is that correct?

 

[cuuf]

How much of their recruiting strength comes from the university’s reputation? I don’t know much about US colleges, but I’ve definitely heard of Berkeley and I feel like it’s one of the higher end ones outside the Ivy League. Is that correct?

That is correct, but academics generally are a very small factor in most athletes’ decisions. Stanford, UCLA, Florida, UNC, and Michigan are probably the only other high level academic schools that have “big name” gymnastic programs

 

[RedBirdie]

Academics might have sway for some gymnasts, but most of the top-tier recruits are more focused on going to schools likely to win nationals. Otherwise, no one would go to Alabama or Utah or Oklahoma. You’d see University of North Carolina and Rutgers drawing top gymnasts.

Some of the top academic schools are less willing to lessen admission standards for athletes. Stanford is notorious for this, to a lesser extent UCLA and Cal as well. So some gymnasts aren’t ever going to be considered for those schools, no matter how good their gymnastics is. And others are just plain not interested in the pressure cooker environment of Stanford or Cal.

I am curious to see if restrictions on reproductive rights and open hostility to LGBTQ+ people impacts recruiting.

 

[blake]

Does Stanford still wait for their recruits to get accepted into the school before signing them? I feel like that could be a bit of a deterrent for recruiting unless they have an early admission process for the athletes.

I know Yale has slightly less rigorous acceptance criteria for future student-athletes. I wonder if Stanford does something similar?

 

[cuuf]

Does Stanford still wait for their recruits to get accepted into the school before signing them? I feel like that could be a bit of a deterrent for recruiting unless they have an early admission process for the athletes.

I know Yale has slightly less rigorous acceptance criteria for future student-athletes. I wonder if Stanford does something similar?

I dont know about Standford, but I know for Cornell they required recruits to go through a “pre-admission” evaluation with the admissions office, which required them to essentially go through the full application process, based upon the admissions office feedback would determine if they would offer/continue recruitment.

 

[blake]

Tiana is announcing her commitment tomorrow.

 

[Caligym]

Tiana to UCLA!