Razorbacks Sign Three Gymnasts For Class Of 2018 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas gymnastics team added three Level 10 Junior Olympic national qualifiers who combined for four top 10 national finishes, eight regional titles, eight state championships and a team national championship over the last three years during the National Letter of Intent signing period last week. The three incoming Razorbacks for the 2014-15 season are Leah MacMoyle of Hope, N.J.,; Braie Speed of San Antonio, Texas,; and Paige Zaziski of Chesterfield Township, Mich. “This is a really strong and balanced class,” co-head coach Mark Cook said. “These three are exceptionally talented athletes. This is one of our strongest classes we have had and I am really excited for them to join our program.” “We are obviously excited about this class,” co-head coach René Lyst said. “We have had these commits for a few years now and it is awesome to have them officially be a part of our program. We are really looking forward to them coming to campus and bringing their leadership qualities to as well.” MacMoyle competes for the North Stars Gymnastics Academy where former gymnasts Samantha Cortez and Jaime Pisani trained before joining the Razorbacks. While at North Stars, MacMoyle has qualified for the Junior Olympic Nationals for three straight years and was a Junior Olympic NIT qualifier her freshman season. She won the Region Championship on the vault and floor her sophomore year and reclaimed her vault title during her junior season. In addition to her regional championships, MacMoyle is a two-time New Jersey Stat Champion in the vault and a one-time floor champ. Her repeat vault state title in 2012 tied the Level 10 New Jersey state record of 9.8. “Leah comes to us as a trend of North Stars athletes to come to our program,” Lyst said. ”We are excited to continue that trend of having someone from that gym. Leah is extremely powerful, quick and brings All-American quality on her events. She is a solid competitor on the beam and bars we are thrilled to have her join our program. “Leah is a very powerful athlete and we look for her to vie for a spot in the all-around,” Cook said. MacMoyle owns personal bests of 9.80 on the vault and floor with a 9.625 on the bars and a 9.65 on the balance beam. She also has a personal best mark of 38.30 in the all-around. “Following the footsteps of my former teammates Jaime Pisani and Amy Borsellino was why I picked Arkansas,” MacMoyle said. “It is a life time dream come true to become a Razorback. Achieving my dream goal of becoming a division one athlete came true but what made it infinitely better is that I am going to be able to be a part of the best team out there, the Arkansas Razorbacks. Speed competes for Olympia Hills Gymnastics club in Buda, Texas. She has competed in the Junior Olympic national meet two times where she place ninth in the all-around competition as a freshman and a part of the team championship as a junior. Speed is a two-time Region 3 Bar Champion in her freshman and junior years and has also won the all-around competition at the Houston National Invitational and the Chicago Style meet as a sophomore. Speed makes the second Razorback from Buda, Texas joining Katie Hardman. “Braie has the most tricks and skills on every event except for maybe Katherine,” Lyst said. “She is a little bit taller but also powerful. She is ridiculously competitive and will be a strong competitor who will want to make a statement on the national scene.” Speed currently has personal bests of 9.775 on the vault, 9.95 on the bars, 9.75 on the beam and 9.725 on the floor which she set at the Region 3 Championship meet. She also has a personal best of 38.55 in the all-around. “Arkansas felt like home to me,” Speed said. “It has everything I have ever wanted. I would not want to attend any other university, especially since we are going to win a national championship in the future.’ Zaziski trains at the Hunts Gymnastics Academy in Harrison Township, Mich. She has been a Level 10 Junior Olympic qualifier, regional champion, state champion and NIT qualifier in her last three years in high school. In 2012, Zaziski collected three top 10 finishes at the Junior Olympic Nationals meet with a third-place finish on bars and a sixth-place finishes on the vault and all-around. She also was the regional champion in the all-around, bars and beam competitions earning herself a spot on the Region 5 All-Star team. Zaziski has collected five state championships, two in the all-around and one each on the vault, bars and beam. She also has collected 13 event titles including first-place finishes in the all-around, bars and floor at the Courtney Kupets Pink Invitational in 2012. She won four titles at the Lady Luck Invitational in the all-around, vault, bars and beam in 2011. In 2010 she took home the all-around, bars and beam titles at the Excalibur Cup and the all-around, vault and bars at the Jingle Bell Rock meet. “Paige has been consistently a strong performer on national level,” Lyst said. ”She is outstanding on all the events and she is going to come in and make a big statement on the program and on the national scene as well.” “Paige is a very strong gymnast,” Cook said. “She is exceptional in all four events and like this whole class we are very excited for her to become a Razorback. Zaziski currently owns personal bests of 9.775 on the vault, 9.7 on the bars, 9.575 on the beam and 9.7 on the floor. In the all-around, she recently set her best mark of 38.55. “From the first time I stepped onto the Arkansas campus, I felt as if I was already part of the Razorback community,” Zaziski said. “I knew right then and there I wanted to be a Razorback. It is an honor and privilege to be a part of such a successful, positive, and goal oriented University, community, and team. For more information on Arkansas gymnastics, follow @RazorbackGYM on Twitter.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Nov 2013 00:34:21 +0000
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