Lindenwood University women's gymnastics head coach Gretchen Goerlitz announced today that eight student-athletes have signed to be a member of Lindenwood's inaugural team in the 2012-2013 academic year. The first student-athletes of the program are Tori Beckwith, Trystien Charles, Alicia Floyd, Daniela Fumagalli, Courtney Heise, Valeri Ingui, Katie Kuehl, and Karoline Sandov.
“We have a wealth of talent, experience, and knowledge in these first eight athletes that will be joining us in the fall of 2012,” said Goerlitz. “It is such an exciting time to be a part of the Lindenwood athletics department, and these girls really have the unique opportunity to lay the foundation for a brand new program. I know they will not take this responsibility lightly. Together, we get to be the history makers; it's going to be quite the ride.”
Beckwith (Monument, Colo.) will join Lindenwood after competing for Colorado Aeriels. In her career as a level-10 competitor, she has scored as high as a 9.5 on the floor exercise and placed fifth in the all-around at the Colorado State Championships. She was first on the floor at the Pikes Peak Cup. In the state competition, she was second on the floor and third on the beam.
Charles (Snellville, Ga.) is currently competing for Gwinnett Gymnastics Center where she is entering her fourth season as a level-10 gymnast. During her first season as a level-10 competitor, she finished second on the balance beam, and all-around at the Georgia State Championships. In 2010, Charles placed third on the uneven bars, balance beam, and all-around during the State Championships. In 2011, she won the all-around title at the Atlanta Crown Invitational and at the Level-10 Regionals. Charles placed fifth in the all-around and sixth on uneven bars at the event, qualifying her to the Junior Olympic Nationals in Long Beach, California.
Floyd (Campbell, Calif.) will come to Lindenwood from Airborne Gymnastics. As a level-10 competitor in 2011, she finished first on floor and third all-around at the Gliders Invitational. She won bars and the all-around at the Spirit of the Flame Challenge and, at the JO National Invitational Tournament, she placed third on beam and second all-around.
Fumagalli (New Braunfels, Texas) currently competes at the club level for Aerial Athletics. She began competing level-10 in 2007 and advanced to elite training in 2008. At the 2008 Rose City Classic, she finished fourth all-around. That May, she competed at the US Challenge as a junior pre-elite and placed third overall. Fumagalli was training for international elite before an injury kept her out of the gym for four months. Since that time she has returned as a strong level-ten gymnast, placing fourth in the all-around at the 2011 Texas State Championships.
Heise (Colorado Springs, Colo.) is another gymnast from Colorado Aeriels and is in her third year as a level-10 performer. She did not compete in 2011 due to an injury, but in 2010 she won bars at the Winterfest meet. At the 2010 Colorado State competition, she finished third on floor and sixth on the all-around, qualifying her for regionals where she placed sixth on the bars.
Ingui (Loganville, Ga.) is the team captain at Rockdale Gymnastics where she has been training for the past 13 years. During the 2011 season, Ingui competed for the first time as a level-10 gymnast and she won the beam and floor titles at the Smokey Mountain Invitational. At the Georgia State Championships, she placed fifth in the all-around and advanced to the Regional 8 Championships. At regionals, Ingui placed third on the balance beam.
Kuehl (Maryland Heights, Mo.), who comes from Team Central, is the first student-athlete from the St. Louis area to sign with the Lady Lions gymnastics team. In 2011 as a level-10 performer, Kuehl finished first on beam at the Meet Me in St. Louis meet, second on bars at the St. Louis Classic, won the Missouri State Championships all-around title and the state championship uneven bar title. She finished her season by qualifying for the Junior Olympic National Invitational Competition.
Sondov (Oslo, Norway) will bring a wealth of international competition experience to Lindenwood. She is the Norwegian National Champion in the all-around and has participated in the European Championships in Germany, the Universiade in China, and the World Championships which were just held in Tokyo in the fall of 2011.
“I couldn't be more pleased with the character, quality, and strength of this first recruiting class,” says Goerlitz. “The inaugural class of Lady Lions get to chart new territory at Lindenwood Unviersity, and I know these are eight young ladies that will make the school and the community proud. “
