Randy Stageberg & Ashanee Dickerson to Join Florida Gymnastics Team for 2010 Season
Thursday, November 13, 2008 | Gymnastics
A pair of gifted and powerful gymnasts will join the University of Florida gymnastics team next season, Florida Head Coach Rhonda Faehn announced Wednesday. This class includes Randy Stageberg, a senior international elite gymnast and Ashanee Dickerson (pronounced Ah-shaw-NAY), runner-up on floor exercise at the 2008 Level 10 Junior Olympic Championships.
"We are thrilled to welcome both of these very high-level athletes to the Gator gymnastics program. They bring a tremendous amount of skill and competitive experience to our program," Faehn said. “In keeping with Gator gymnastics philosophy, they are both disciplined and dedicated athletes with true "team first" attitudes. We are really excited that their very first choice from the beginning was the University of Florida."
| Gator Gymnastics Signees | ||
| Name | Club | Hometown |
| Ashanee Dickerson | Gymnastics Unlimited | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Randy Stageberg | Excalibur Gymnastics | Chesapeake, Va. |
| Meet the New Gators… |
| Ashanee Dickerson |
| 2008 Level 10 Junior Olympic Senior B floor exercise runner-up… also shared fourth on balance beam and ninth in all-around… shared second in 2007 Level 10 J.O. Junior D vault competition...fifth in all-around at same meet… 2008 Region 8 Level 10 Senior B all-around and uneven bars champion; also runner-up in vault and shared second in floor competition… won floor title at the 2008 Sand Dollar meet held at Orlando Metro Gymnastics; also took third in vault and fourth in all-around… trains at Gymnastics Unlimited and coached by Lisa and Michelle Music… will graduate from Ed White High School this spring. |
| Coach Faehn says… |
| “We are really excited that Ashanee Dickerson is going to be joining our program. She is an athlete with a tremendous amount of power. She has been at the top of the Junior Olympics National program for many years. We look to see her make an immediate impact on all four events. She's been a true Gator from the start and we're really excited to see her thrive and excel in the collegiate environment.” |
| Randy Stageberg |
| Signed her national letter of intent this morning before heading to Houston for a U.S. Senior National Team training camp… three-year member of U.S. National team (2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09)… earned a spot in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials with her ninth-place finish at the 2008 Visa U.S. National Championships… took 11th in 2008 Olympic Trials all-around… member of 2006 U.S. Senior National team after taking 10th in 2006 Visa Championships all-around… shared the 2006 national floor exercise title with Alicia Sacramone… finished 14th in 2007 Visa Championships all-around… third in all-around in the international portion of the 2007 Gymnix International meet; also won floor title and took bronze in uneven bars and balance beam… earned a spot on the U.S. Junior National team with her 15th place finish in the 2005 Visa Championships in Indianapolis, Ind… part of the Excalibur Gymnastics club and trains under Jim & Dena Walker and Gustavo Moure… will graduate from the Alpha Omega Academy this spring. |
| Coach Faehn says… |
| “Randy is a tremendous athlete and person. She is the perfect all-around package and is known for her power and charismatic style. Randy has a wonderful talent for making the difficult skills she performs look easy. She's been a Senior National team member on the elite circuit for many years so she is comfortable and familiar with competing under high pressure situations. She will make an immediate impact on all four events as a Gator.” |
| In 2008, Florida finished fourth in NCAA Championship competition and tied for second in the Southeastern Conference Championships. Florida returns three All-Americans for the 2009 campaign, which begins Jan. 9 when the Gators play host to Oklahoma. |
