INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 6, 2014 – 2013 World all-around and floor exercise champion and reigning U.S. all-around champion Simone Biles of Spring, Texas/World Champions Centre, 2012 Olympic team gold-medalist and three-time 2013 World silver-medalist Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max Gymnastics, and 2013 World team member Brenna Dowell of Odessa, Mo./GAGE, headline the women’s field for the 2014 P&G Gymnastics Championships., Aug. 21-24, at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh.
Biles won the senior all-around title at the recent Secret U.S. Classic, where Ross was second and Maggie Nichols of Little Canada, Minn./Twin City Twisters, was third. Jordan Chiles of Vancouver, Wash./ Naydenov Gymnastics Inc., was the junior all-around champ. Nia Dennis of Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, received the silver medal, and Norah Flatley of Cumming, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute, and Deanne Soza of Orem, Utah/ Arete Gymnastics, tied for the bronze medal.
In addition to Biles, Ross and Nichols, the remaining members of the senior national team who are in the field are: Madison Desch of Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE; Peyton Ernst of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams*; Rachel Gowey of West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics*; Madison Kocian of Plano, Texas/WOGA; and MyKayla Skinner of Chandler, Ariz./Desert Lights Gymnastics. (*Ernst and Gowey have withdrawn)
Two current members of the U.S. Junior Team are now competing as seniors: Alyssa Baumann of Plano, Texas/WOGA and Amelia Hundley of Fairfield, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics.
Bailie Key of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, is the defending junior all-around champion*. Along with Key, Chiles, Dennis and Flatley, the other members of the U.S. Junior Team who are expected to compete are Emily Gaskins of Fairfield, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics; and Ragan Smith of Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams. (*Key has withdrawn)
A total of 53 athletes from 19 states will compete in women’s gymnastics in Pittsburgh. The entire field is listed below.
With competition on both the junior and senior levels, performances at the 2014 P&G Championships will determine all-around and individual national champions, as well as the national team for the junior and senior elite levels. The nationals also traditionally serve as part of the selection process for the U.S. Team for the World Championships. This year, the Senior Pan American Championship Team will also be selected at the 2014 P&G Gymnastics Championships.
Single session tickets range in price from $20-$99. Ticket prices include facility fees and vary according to ticket location. Also available are: all-session tickets, which include all eight competitive sessions, $150-$500; men’s .package – all men’s sessions (junior and senior), Aug. 22 and 24, $85-$135; women’s first day of competition package – junior and senior women’s sessions, Aug. 21, $70-$125; women’s final day of competition package – junior and senior women’s sessions, Aug. 23, $85-$135; and men’s and women’s finals package – senior women on Aug. 23 and senior men on Aug. 24, $80-$130. A limited number of platinum VIP all-session tickets, located in the first five rows, are still available and include a commemorative gift, autographed poster and a meet-and-greet with an Olympian.
Tickets may be purchased at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Box Office at CONSOL Energy Center, Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 800-745-3000. For group (10+ people) sales information, please call Justin Leach at (412) 804-7904.
The competition schedule for men’s and women’s gymnastics is: Thursday, Aug. 21 – women’s gymnastics, juniors (1 p.m.) and seniors (7:30 p.m.); Friday, Aug. 22 – men’s gymnastics, juniors (1 p.m.) and seniors (7 p.m.); Saturday, Aug. 23 – women’s gymnastics, juniors (2 p.m.) and seniors (7:30 p.m.); and Sunday, Aug. 24 – men’s gymnastics, seniors (1 p.m.) and juniors (7:30 p.m.).
2014 will be the first time the U.S. Championships have been held in Pennsylvania since 2001 and just the fourth since 1973. The U.S. Gymnastics Championships traces its history back to 1897 for the men and 1931 for the women.
The USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show will be held in conjunction with the 2014 P&G Gymnastics Championships at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The annual USA Gymnastics National Congress and Trade Show is a three-day event open to the entire gymnastics community. Held in conjunction with the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, National Congress provides a unique opportunity for presentations, demonstrations and educational seminars on a variety of topics and a large exhibitor’s hall with additional business opportunities.
In addition to VisitPittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Penguins, AEG and CONSOL Energy Center were instrumental in bringing the event to the city. The City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County are also helping support the championships.
Background information
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VisitPittsburgh. VisitPittsburgh is the official tourism promotion agency for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to generating convention, trade show and leisure travel business for the Pittsburgh region.
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CONSOL Energy Center. CONSOL Energy Center, operated by AEG Facilities, is Pittsburgh’s premier indoor site for sports and entertainment. In addition to being home to the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, the arena hosted the 2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball second and third rounds as well as the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four and will host the 2015 NCAA Men’s Basketball second and third rounds.
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David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Completed in 2003 and owned by the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA), the DLCC is located in downtown Pittsburgh’s Cultural District, within steps of theaters, museums, sport venues, galleries and restaurants. The dynamic architectural design is like no other – breath-taking views, open terraces and a suspended roof structure. As the first LEED Gold certified convention center under the LEED for New Construction rating system, some of the "green" features include: a natural ventilation system, abundant natural daylight, a water reclamation system, and an extensive recycling program. The DLCC continues to adhere to the slogan; "Built Green. Working Green. Every Day" and has now achieved LEED Platinum certification under the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance rating system. The DLCC is the first convention center to receive certification under both rating systems.
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AEG Facilities. AEG, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Anschutz Company, is the leading sports, entertainment and venue operator in the world. AEG Facilities, a stand-alone affiliate of AEG, owns, operates or consults with more than 100 of the industry’s preeminent venues worldwide, across five continents, providing complete venue management, as well as specialized programs in operations, guest services, ticketing, booking, sales and marketing. AEG Facilities also provides resources and access to other AEG-affiliated entities, including live event producer, AEG Live, AEG Global Partnerships, AEG Development, AEG 1Earth, AEG Encore and AEG Creative to support the success of AEG venues across the globe. The Los Angeles-based organization owns, operates or provides services to the world’s most elite venues, including STAPLES Center (Los Angeles, Calif.), The Home Depot Center (Carson, Calif.), Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE (Los Angeles, Calif.), Sprint Center (Kansas City, Mo.), XL Center (Hartford, Conn.), KFC YUM! Center (Louisville, Ky.), AmericanAirlines Arena (Miami, Fla.), Prudential Center (Newark, N.J.), Target Center (Minneapolis, Minn.), BBVA Compass Stadium (Houston, Texas), O.co Coliseum and Oracle Arena (Oakland, Calif.), CONSOL Energy Center (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Mercedes-Benz Arena (Shanghai, China), MasterCard Center (Beijing, China), The O2 Arena (London, England), O2 World (Berlin, Germany), O2 World Hamburg (Hamburg, Germany), Ahoy Arena (Rotterdam, Netherlands), Pernambuco Stadium (Recife, Brazil), Allphones Arena (Sydney, Australia), ULKER Sports Arena (Istanbul, Turkey), Ericsson Globe Arena (Stockholm, Sweden) and the Qatar National Convention Centre (Doha, Qatar). For more information, please visit www.aegworldwide.com.
2014 P&G Gymnastics Championships women’s field
(by state; name, hometown, state/club, division)
Arizona
MyKayla Skinner, Chandler, Ariz./Desert Lights Gymnastics, senior
California
Felicia Hano, Costa Mesa, Calif./Gym-Max Gymnastics, senior
Lauren Navarro, Covina, Calif./Charter Oak Gymnastics, junior
Kyla Ross, Costa Mesa, Calif./Gym-Max Gymnastics, senior
Colorado
Alyona Shchennikova, Wheat Ridge, Colo./TIGAR, junior
Delaware
Morgan Hurd, Newark, Del./First State, junior
Florida
Bailey Ferrer, Orlando, Fla./Orlando Metro, junior
Sydney Johnson-Scharpf, Clermont, Fla./Brandy Johnson’s Global Gymnastics, junior
Georgia
Elena Arenas, Watkinsville, Ga./Georgia Elite, junior
Megan Skaggs, Kennesaw, Ga./Gym Academy of Atlanta, junior
Illinois
Marissa Oakley, Aurora, Ill./Phenom Gymnastics, junior
Iowa
Norah Flatley, West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics, junior
Rachel Gowey, West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics, senior – Withdrawn
Adeline Kenlin, Coralville, Iowa/Iowa Gym-Nest, junior
Victoria Nguyen, West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics, junior
Alexis Vasquez, West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics, junior
Maryland
Maggie Musselman, Gaithersburg, Md./Hill’s Gymnastics, junior
Michigan
Delanie Harkness, Dimondale, Mich./Geddert’s Twistars, junior
Minnesota
Maggie Nichols, Champlin, Minn./Twin City Twisters, senior
Abby Paulson, Champlin, Minn./Twin City Twisters, junior
Lexy Ramler, Winona, Minn./KidSport LLC, junior
Olivia Trautman, Champlin, Minn./Twin City Twisters, junior
Missouri
Madison Desch, Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE, senior
Brenna Dowell, Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE, senior
Nevada
Maile O’Keefe, Henderson, Nev./Salcianu Gymnastics, junior
New Jersey
Ariana Agrapides, Morganville, N.J./MG Elite, junior
Jazmyn Foberg, Morganville, N.J./MG Elite, junior
North Carolina
Ashton Locklear, Huntersville, N.C./Everest Gymnastics, senior
Emily Schild, Huntersville, N.C./Everest Gymnastics, senior
Ohio
Aria Brusch, Fairfield, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, junior
Nia Dennis, Westerville, Ohio/Buckeye Gymnastics, junior
Emily Gaskins, Fairfield, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, junior
Amelia Hundley, Fairfield, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, senior
Pennsylvania
Christina Desiderio, Allentown, Pa./Parkettes, junior
Molly Frack, Allentown, Pa./Parkettes, junior
Margzetta Frazier, Allentown, Pa./Parkettes, junior
Megan Freed, Allentown, Pa./Parkettes, junior
Taylor Lawson, Allentown, Pa./Parkettes, junior
Adriana Popp, Bethlehem, Pa./Girls Co-op, junior
Texas
Alyssa Baumann, Plano, Texas/WOGA, senior
Rachel Baumann, Plano, Texas/WOGA, junior
Simone Biles, The Woodlands, Texas/World Champions Centre, senior
Peyton Ernst, Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, senior – Withdrawn
Rachael Flam, Houston, Texas/Stars Gymnastics, junior
Veronica Hults, Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, senior
Bailie Key, Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, junior – Withdrawn
Madison Kocian, Plano, Texas/WOGA, senior
Grace Quinn, Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, junior
Ragan Smith, Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, junior
Macy Toronjo, Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams, senior
Utah
Deanne Soza, Lindon, Utah/Arete, junior
Washington
Jordan Chiles, Vancouver, Wash./Naydenov Gymnastics, junior
Shilese Jones, Auburn, Wash./Auburn Gymnastics Center, Inc, junior