INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., May 3, 2016 – At both the 2016 Women’s Junior Olympic Level 9 Eastern and Western Championships this past weekend, 16 age-division champions were named, along with junior and senior team and super team champs. The Level 9 Eastern and Western Championships were the culmination of this year’s Junior Olympic Level 9 competitive season, and the Level 9 Eastern Championships were held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, with the Western Championships at the Adams Center in Missoula, Mont.



Level 9 Eastern Championships
Region 5 was the Super Team champion, and Regions 7 and 8 landed in second and third. The individual all-around champions from the Eastern Championships are listed below.

  • Junior and Senior 1: Anya Pilgrim of Hill’s Gymnastics, 37.775, junior; Nathalie Adriano of Dobre Gymnastics Academy, 37.700, senior
  • Junior and Senior 2: Madelyn Bellmore of Twistars USA, 37.825, junior; Samantha Sworst of Gymnastics Training Center Rochester, 37.550, senior
  • Junior and Senior 3: Tory Vetter of Universal Gymnasts, 38.050, junior; Mia Highfill of GMS Gymnastics Institute, 37.550, senior
  • Junior and Senior 4: Skyla Schulte of Phenom Gymnastics, 37.850, junior; Elena Burek of Pittsburgh Northstars, 37.700, senior
  • Junior and Senior 5: Talia Little of RGA, 37.700, junior; Melissa Ginaldi of Central Bucks School of Gymnastics, 37.225, senior
  • Junior and Senior 6: Lyndsey Rudolph of Bright Stars Gymnastics, 37.525, junior; Tristan Brown of Twistars USA, 37.775, senior
  • Junior and Senior 7: Sydney Bennett of Everest Gymnastics, 37.900, junior; Dominique Militello of Bay Valley Academy, 37.450, senior
  • Junior and Senior 8: Alina Whiteside of Connecticut Gymnastics Academy, 37.875, junior; Kendra Benak of Grand Traverse Bay, 37.550, senior

The Eastern Championships feature 16 age divisions, which were determined by birth date. The Eastern Championships included top gymnasts from Regions 5-8. The states that comprise each region are: Region 5 – Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio; Region 6 – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont; Region 7 – Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia; and Region 8 – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee.

Level 9 Western Championships
Region 1 was the Super Team champion, and Regions 3 and 4 landed in second and third. The individual all-around champions from the Western Championships are listed below.

  • Junior and Senior 1: Zoe Miller of Aim Athletics Texans Gymnastics, 37.850, junior; Ashlynn Sullivan of Metroplex Gymnastics, 37.650, senior
  • Junior and Senior 2: Peyton Oltman of Texas Dreams Gymnastics, 38.100, junior; Addison Donis of Wallers GymJam Academy, 37.825, senior
  • Junior and Senior 3: Bayley Barnett of AIM Athletics Texans Gymnastics, 37.775, junior; Jasmine Gutierrez of SCEGA Gymnastics, 38.125, senior
  • Junior and Senior 4: Mina Popovic of Airborne Gymnastics Training Center, 38.225, junior; Emily Anderson, 37.500, senior
  • Junior and Senior 5: Carley Scott of Xtreme Gymnastics and Trampoline, 37.625, junior; Rebekah Bean of Champion Gymnastics of Southern Utah, 37.750, senior
  • Junior and Senior 6: Kennedy Quay of SCEGA Gymnastics, 38.425, junior; Mary Packham of Oregon Metropolitan Elite Gymnastics Academy, 37.200, senior
  • Junior and Senior 7: Loganne Basuel of Flight School Gymnastics, 38.100, junior; Samantha Aguirre of Bay Aerials Gymnastics, 36.675, senior
  • Junior and Senior 8: Raegan Walker of SCEGA Gymnastics, 38.325, junior; Sara Tully of Westside Dance and Gymnastics Academy, 37.650, senior

The Western Championships featured 16 age divisions, which were determined by birth date. The Level 9 Western Championships had the top gymnasts from Regions 1-4. The states that comprise each region are: Region 1 — Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah; Region 2 – Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington; Region 3 – Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming; and Region 4 – Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin.