Standout Class to Join Gator Gymnastics Team
Friday, November 13, 2009 | Gymnastics
A tremendous class of gymnastics talent has signed national letters of intent with the University of Florida. The six includes an Olympian from Great Britain, three U.S. National Team members and two Junior Olympic National champions.
Marissa King competed for Great Britain at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games and also represented her country in the 2009 World Gymnastics Championships held in London, England. The three U.S. National Team Members – Mackenzie Caquatto, Kytra Hunter and Alaina Johnson – bring a considerable amount of competitive experience from national and international levels. Liz Green and Brittney Noble have appeared on the Junior Olympic Level 10 National Teams with both picking up two J.O. national crowns.
“We genuinely feel, with the combination of all of these exceptional athletes, that from top to bottom this is the strongest recruiting class we've ever had at the University of Florida,” said UF Head Coach Rhonda Faehn. “We want to be in position to contend for the national title every year and this group will play a key part of that goal.”
Both King and Green have applied for and have been accepted for admission to UF for the spring semester and will compete for the Gators in the 2010 season.
| Meet the New Gators… |
| Mackenzie Caquatto – Naperville, Ill. |
| 2008-09 and 2009-10 U.S. National Team member… Senior International Elite competitor… 2009 U.S. World Championship team alternate… 2008 US Olympic Trial qualifier… third in uneven bars and fifth in all-around at 2009 Visa Championships… 10th in 2008 Visa Championships' all-around… 2007 Junior Olympic Junior C all-around champion… 2008 U.S. Classic vault champion – also took third on bars and fourth in all-around… trains at the Naperville Gymnastics Club … coached by Jiani Wu and Yuejui Li… chose Florida over UCLA, Michigan, Alabama, Arkansas, LSU and Utah. |
| Coach Faehn says… |
| “Mackenzie is the total overall package. She is a strong all-arounder and has no weaknesses. In the International Elite competitions, she is perhaps considered to be the best in bars and vault, but for the University of Florida and NCAA, she is going to be a contender for the all around title. Mackenzie is an amazing student with a very strong character. We felt instantly that she was very special and that she could definitely help lead this team to our continual goal of winning the national championship. She comes from a wonderful family and we welcome them to the Gator program.” |
| Liz Green – Coppell, Texas |
| 2009 Junior Olympics Senior A National Team selection… shared fourth in all-around and fourth in 2009 J.O. Senior A National Championships… 2009 Region III beam and floor exercise champion plus third in all-around… 2008 J.O. Junior D all-around champion – also second on bars, beam and third on floor exercise… 2008 Region III all-around, bars and beam champion… 2007 J.O. Junior B National all-around champion – also took third on bars… trains at Texas Dreams Gymnastics and coached by former World Championships all-around champion Kim Zmeskal Burdette, Chris Burdette, Marnie Futch and Gina Logan… considered Alabama, Georgia, UCLA, Oklahoma and Arkansas in the recruiting process. |
| Coach Faehn says… |
| “Liz is a strong all-arounder, but she has beautiful lines and is a very polished gymnast. Her strengths are balance beam and bars, but on floor she has beautiful dance combined with great tumbling, which is going to make our line-up even stronger. She brings the competitive experience from winning two JO National titles in a row. She's really solid under pressure situations, which we love. She has a bubbly personality and fit in instantly with the team. Liz is going to make an instant impact as well in the line-ups. She comes from an athletic family. Liz's older brother plays baseball for Texas so they are very familiar with NCAA competition. They are going to be a tremendous support system for Liz and for our program. We're thrilled because they fit in perfectly with the other signee families, which was really important as well to have that unity.” |
| Kytra Hunter – Frederick, Md. |
| 2009-10 U.S. National Team member… Senior International Elite competitor… in 2009 Visa Championships competition, took third on floor exercise, fourth in all-around and shared eighth on balance beam… received first international assignment to compete on the 2009 European Tour and won floor at competition in Muelheim, Germany… 2008 Junior Olympic Level 10 Senior A all-around, vault and floor exercise national champion… named to 2008 J.O. national team… first qualified as senior international elite in 2007… second in all-around and vault in 2006 J.O. Junior B National Championship competition… took 17th in 2006 Visa Championships Junior all-around… trains at Hill's Gymnastics in Maryland, the same club that produced former Gator All-Americans Erinn Dooley and Corey Hartung… coached by Kelli Hill and Elena Todorova… selected Florida over Georgia, UCLA, Michigan, Alabama, LSU and Penn State. |
| Coach Faehn says… |
| “Kytra is an amazing talent. She will be very strong in the all-around, but her floor and vault should challenge immediately for NCAA titles. Kytra will definitely be a standout performer. Kytra is a great competitor and is very consistent. She's competed at the sport's highest level and knows how to perform under pressure situations. Kytra was a wonderful surprise during the recruiting process because we didn't think she had us in mind as a school. On her visit to our campus, she was very impressed and felt this is the school that had it all for her. Kytra wants to be a part of a class that can position Florida to consistently challenge for the national title. Kytra's family is absolutely wonderful. They feel very comfortable with Florida and really support our coaching staff and our program.” |
| Alaina Johnson – Tyler, Texas |
| 2008-09 and 2009-10 U.S. National Team member … eighth on uneven bars and ninth in all-around at 2009 Visa Championships… 12th in all-around at 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials… ninth in 2008 U.S. Classic all-around… fourth on uneven bars at 2009 CoverGirl Classic… took 12th in 2008 Visa Championships' all-around… placed 18th in 2006 Visa Championships' all-around and 16th in 2007 meet… trains at Texas East Gymnastics under Martin and Stacy Parsley… considered many programs in the recruiting process, including Alabama, Georgia, Utah, Michigan, LSU and Oklahoma. |
| Coach Faehn says… |
| “Alaina is really strong in all four events, but she is known for her beautiful lines that are similar to (former Gator All-American) Corey Hartung's. She's a beautiful gymnast to watch, but at the same time she has a lot of power. The bars are considered her strongest event, but I really can't pick one event because she is great at all four. She did an amazing job this season on the elite scene by making the national team again. She has a wonderful personality with a very disciplined work ethic. We're absolutely thrilled she is going to be a Gator. She comes from another very strong family and they are looking forward to supporting this team in the seasons to come.” |
| Marissa King – London, England |
| 2008 Olympian for Great Britain, competing as an all-arounder… competed in vault and balance beam at 2009 World Championships held in London, England, in October… vault champion at the 2009 British Senior Championships – also took third in the meet's all-around, uneven bars and floor exercise competition… silver medalist at the 2008 Slovenian Grand Prix… placed fourth on the vault at the 2008 Glasgow Grand Prix and World Cup … 2007 vault champion at the Glasgow Grand Prix … 2007 vault champion in the apparatus finals of the Good Luck Beijing Event … vault finalist at the 2007 European Championships Amsterdam … 2007 World Championships' team member, competing in vault and floor… trains at Huntingdon Olympic Gymnastic Club with coaches Adam Folwell and Aneta Desalermos. |
| Coach Faehn says… |
| “We're really thrilled that Marissa has made the decision to join the Gator gymnastics team. She brings a great deal of international elite experience. She's an extremely tough competitor and we feel she's a perfect match with our team. She exudes so much enthusiasm and strength. She has the maturity and the competition experience at the highest levels, competing in the Olympic Games and the World Championships for Great Britain. Her biggest strengths are the vault, beam and floor. We are looking to see her compete for us immediately in those events and hopefully work toward becoming an all-arounder.” |
| Brittney Noble – Orlando, Fla. |
| Member of 2007 Junior Olympic National Team… won uneven bars and floor exercise in 2007 Junior Olympic Junior C National Championships competition – also took fourth in all-around… second in all-around, vault and floor at 2007 Florida Level 10 championships… 2005 Junior Olympic Junior A Level 10 floor exercise national champion… runner-up in vault and shared third on floor at 2008 Arizona Sunrays Hardrock Invitational… 2008 IGI Chicago Style vault and floor champion plus second in all-around… trains at Orlando Metro and coached by Jeff Wood and Christi Barineau… also considered Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Auburn. |
| Coach Faehn says… |
| “Brittney is a very strong competitor. Her strongest events are floor, vault and bars, but she has potential to be an all-arounder. She combines artistry with her power. What we love most about Brittney is her attitude. She bleeds orange and blue and wanted to be a Gator from the start. She is extremely positive and has a tremendous work ethic. Brittney and her family are so excited and thrilled, just as much as we are, to continue on this wonderful tradition of Orlando Metro gymnasts on the Florida team. Many of our former and current Gators have come from Orlando Metro and they have always done an excellent job here at the University of Florida.” |
