INDIANAPOLIS, March 2, 2015 – The 2015 Nastia Liukin Cup is ready to go this Friday, March 6, at 7 p.m. CT at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Featuring 17 junior and 18 senior level Junior Olympic gymnasts, the Nastia Liukin Cup will showcase gymnasts from 17 states. Eight gymnasts are making return trips to the Nastia Liukin Cup, which is held the night before the AT&T American Cup (March 7 at 10:30 a.m. CT).
Alicia Boren of Franklin Lakes, N.J./North Stars Gymnastics Academy, is making her third trip to the Nastia Liukin Cup and will compete on the senior level. The four seniors who are making their second appearance at the Nastia Liukin Cup are: Anna Glenn of Charlotte, N.C./Southeastern Gymnastics; Olivia Karas of Chicago/IK Gymnastics; Maddie Karr of Champlin, Minn./Twin City Twisters; and Rachael Lukacs of Hillsborough, N.J./North Stars Gymnastics Academy. Four junior level gymnasts are also competing in their second Cup: Alexa Al-Hameed of Ankeny, Iowa/Triad Gymnastics; Kaitlin DeGuzman of Rowlett, Texas/Metroplex; Kiya Johnson of Desoto, Texas/Texas Dreams; and Hannah McCrary of Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gym Academy. The complete list of participants is included below.
Tickets for the 2015 Nastia Liukin Cup are $50 for reserved seats and $35 for general admission, plus applicable fees. Tickets may be purchased online through Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. For group (10+ people) sales information, please call AT&T Stadium group sales at (817) 892-8688. Discounted tickets are also available through local gym clubs that participate in the Club Ticket Sales Program. For more information, go to nastialiukincup.com.
Spectators are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy the fan fest held on the AT&T Platform, which includes the AT&T Fan Cam and Kellogg’s Fitness and Nutrition Zone. For a complete list of the fan activities and the stadium’s guidelines for bags, photo, video, etc., go to attamericancup.com.
Fans who cannot make it to AT&T Stadium can watch the action live on Universal Sports Network or on nastialiukincup.com/live or universalsports.com; follow the event on Facebook (facebook.com/usagymnastics) and Twitter (#NastiaCup); or via live scoring at nastialiukincup.com.
AT&T Stadium is playing host to the 2015 AT&T American Cup, an International Gymnastics Federation World Cup event that features some of the world’s biggest names in gymnastics.
Gymnasts who compete in the Nastia Liukin Cup will receive a Nastia Liukin-designed leotard and a warm-up from GK Elite; two tickets to the American Cup and recognition during the event; and the opportunity to meet Liukin and participate in a team photo.
Named for 2008 Olympic all-around gold-medalist Nastia Liukin, the Nastia Liukin Cup was first held in 2010 in Worcester, Mass., and a portion of the proceeds from the Nastia Liukin Cup benefits the Nastia Liukin Fund, a charitable fund in partnership with the National Gymnastics Foundation (www.usagym.org/foundation).
Past sites for the Nastia Liukin Cup are: 2014, Greensboro, N.C.; 2013 and 2010, Worcester, Mass.; 2012, New York City; and 2011, Jacksonville, Fla.
Background information
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Nastia Liukin. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Liukin’s total of five medals tied the U.S. gymnastics record for most medals in one Olympic Games, held by Mary Lou Retton (1984) and Shannon Miller (1992). Liukin’s Olympic medals are: gold – all-around; silver – team, balance beam and uneven bars; and bronze – floor exercise. Liukin was the third of four U.S. women to win the Olympic all-around crown. She also won nine World medals in her career. Liukin has graced many magazine covers and appeared on various shows, including "Gossip Girl," "Make It or Break It," and the feature film, "Stick It." Liukin is now attending New York University in New York City, studying sports management. Also, Liukin currently serves as a gymnastics analyst for NBC Sports and was a special contributor during NBC’s coverage of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. In 2012, she was a member of the creative team and a cast member for the Kellogg’s Tour of Olympic Champions, a national, 40-city tour that followed the 2012 Olympic Games. Liukin was coached by her father, Valeri, who has four Olympic medals from 1988 including two gold.
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AT&T American Cup. The 2015 AT&T American Cup, a FIG World Cup event, is one of the most prestigious international invitational events and features an all-around format. The list of former champions comprises some of the sport’s best-known names, including Jordyn Wieber, Nastia Liukin, Jonathan Horton, Bart Conner, Paul Hamm, Shawn Johnson, Shannon Miller, Carly Patterson, Mary Lou Retton and Peter Vidmar. For more information, go to attamericancup.com.
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AT&T Stadium. AT&T Stadium is the largest, most technologically advanced entertainment venue in the world. Designed by HKS and built by Manhattan Construction, the $1.2 billion stadium features two monumental arches, the world’s largest HDTV video board cluster, an expansive retractable roof and the largest retractable end zone doors in the world. Features of the stadium include seating for 80,000 and expandability for up to 100,000, over 300 luxury suites, club seating on multiple levels and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop, open to the public year round. The stadium is also home to a world-class collection of contemporary art, made up of over 50 pieces from an international array of curated artists displayed on the walls and in the grand public spaces of the venue. In addition to being the home of the Dallas Cowboys since opening in 2009, the stadium has hosted Super Bowl XLV, the 2010 NBA All Star Game, the annual AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic, the 2014 NCAA Men’s Final Four and the 2015 College Football Playoff Championship Game. The venue has also played host to high school and college football, concerts, championship fights and other special events. For more information, go to http://stadium.dallascowboys.com.
2015 Nastia Liukin Cup field
Listed alphabetically by state
Arizona
Cassie Stevens, Phoenix, Ariz./Arizona Sunrays, Junior
California
Maya Washington, San Jose, Calif./San Mateo Gymnastics, Senior
Nicoletta Koulos, Long Beach, Calif./Wildfire, Junior
Colorado
Jacqueline Kranitz, Lone Tree, Colo./Colorado Aerials, Junior
Florida
Lexi Graber, Cape Coral, Fla./Coast Elite Gymnastics, Senior
Madison Osman, Maitland, Fla./Orlando Metro, Senior
Abbie Thompson, Sanford, Fla./Orlando Metro, Junior
Illinois
Olivia Karas, Chicago, Ill./IK Gymnastics, Senior
Madison McHale, Naperville, Ill./Legacy Elite Gymnastics, Senior
Iowa
Carly Bauman, West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics, Junior
Evy Schoepfer, Ames, Iowa/Triad , Senior
Alexa Al-Hameed, Ankeny, Iowa/Triad Gymnastics, Junior
Kynsee Roby, Ankeny, Iowa/Triad Gymnastics, Senior
Massachusetts
Emily Holmes-Hackerd, Bedford, Mass./Brestyan’s, Junior
Michigan
Emma McLean, Clarkston, Mich./Stars and Stripes Gymnastics, Senior
Minnesota
Maddie Karr, Champlin, Minn./Twin City Twisters, Senior
Nevada
Alexia Burch, Sparks, Nev./Gymnastics Nevada, Senior
New Jersey
Alicia Boren, Franklin Lakes, N.J./North Stars Gymnastics Academy, Senior
Rachael Lukacs, Hillsborough, N.J./North Stars Gymnastics Academy, Senior
North Carolina
Anna Glenn, Charlotte, N.C./Southeastern Gymnastics, Senior
Abby Heiskell, Waxhaw, N.C./Southeastern Gymnastics, Junior
Ohio
Hannah McCrary, Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gym Academy, Junior
South Carolina
Maggie O’Hara, Lexington, S.C./Southeastern Gymnastics, Senior
Texas
Amoree Lockhart, Ft. Worth, Texas/Empire Gymnastics Academy, Junior
Chae Campbell, Carrollton, Texas/Metroplex, Junior
Kaitlin DeGuzman, Rowlett, Texas/Metroplex, Junior
Shaylah Scott, Allen, Texas/Metroplex, Junior
Kiya Johnson, Desoto, Texas/Texas Dreams, Junior
Cassidy Keelen, Lucas, Texas/Texas Dreams, Senior
Macy Toronjo, Huntsville, Texas/Texas Dreams, Senior
Utah
Karley McClain, South Jordan, Utah/All American Utah, Junior
Makenna Merrell, Pleasant Grove, Utah/All American Utah, Senior
Sadie Miner, Mapleton, Utah/All American Utah, Junior
Virginia
Kassidy Cumber, Virginia Beach, Va./Gymstrada, Senior
Kourtney Chinnery, Suffolk, Va./World Class Gymnastics, Junior