DALLAS, Texas, May 9, 2010 – Eight all-around champions were crowned at the 2010 Junior Olympic National Invitational Tournament (NIT), held in conjunction with the Women’s National Junior Olympic Championships, at the Dallas Convention Center.

The competition features eight age divisions (Junior A, Junior B, Junior C, Junior D, Senior A, Senior B, Senior C and Senior D), which are determined by age and birth date.

  • Junior A – Gracie Cherrey of Woodbury, Minn./Perpetual Motion, won the all-around with a score of 36.725, and she also tied for first on vault at 9.500. DeVeau’s Gymnastics’ Hallie Benjamin of Fortville, Ind., was second in the all-around (36.700). Ashlyn Kirby of Claremont, N.C./Shooting Stars, was third in the all-around (36.600) and captured the balance beam title (9.550). Jessica Jones of Canfield, Ohio/Youngstown Gymnastics, tied for first on both the vault (9.500) with Cherrey and the floor exercise (9.650) with Isabell Hutchins of Rossford, Ohio/Gedderts’ Twistars. Kaitlynn Hedelund of Chesapeake, Va./Excalibur, took top honors for the uneven bars at 9.425.

  • Junior B – Toni-Ann Williams of Randallstown, Md./United Gymnastix, won the all-around with a score of 37.400. Danielle Ramirez of Gym Max edged out Emily Rickman of Tyler, Texas/Texas East, for the silver medal, 36.900 to 36.875. Leah Lomonte of Katy, Texas/Champion Texas, took top honors on vault with her 9.650. The bars gold medal was won by Janae Janik of Simi Valley, Calif./All-Olympia, with a score of 9.425. Gym Max’s Alexandra Gremillion of Mesa, Calif., was first on the balance beam (9.625). Leah MacMoyle of Blairstown, N.J./North Stars, earned the floor exercise title with her 9.625.

  • Junior C – Mary Jane Horth of Akron, Ohio/Gymnastics World, won the all-around with her 37.525, as well as tied for first on the balance beam. Kayla Beckler of Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, was second in the all-around at 37.250, and took top honors for the floor exercise (9.625). Taylor Alotta of New Tripoli, Pa./Parkettes, placed third in the all-around (37.150). Kullen Hlawek of Montgomery, Texas/WGA Texas, won the vault title (9.675) and tied with Horth for the beam title at 9.525. Taylor Hill of Scottsdale, Ariz./Arizona Sunrays, captured the uneven bars title with a score of 9.350.

  • Junior D – Kathy Tang of Agawam, Mass./Daggett’s Gold Medal Gymnastics, won the all-around with a score of 37.375. Molly McFarland of Costa Mesa, Calif./New Hope Academy of Gymnastics, finished second in the all-around at 37.125, along with first on bars (9.275). Tang tied with Lindsay Mable of Aurora, Colo./Colorado Gymnastics Institute, for first on the balance beam (9.500). Mable, who also won the floor title (9.575), was third in the all-around (37.000). Amanda McGee of Johnstown, Pa./Excalibur Gymnastics, won the vault title (9.550).

  • Senior A – Emma Hoffman of Union, N.J./Rebound New Jersey, won both the all-around (37.200) and the vault (9.425) titles, as well as tied for first in the floor exercise (9.575) with Ellese Sakai-Hart of Aptos, Calif./Airborne California, who placed second in the all-around (37.100). Anastasia Halbig of Schwenksville, Pa./Berks Gymnastics Academy, was third in the all-around at 36.925. Amanda Schlaefer of Morgan Hill, Calif./Bay Aerials Gymnastics, won the bars title (9.375) and finished fourth in the all-around (36.875). Pauline Hanset of Knoxville, Tenn./Premier Athletics, took top honors on the beam with a score of 9.425.

  • Senior B – Caryn Kadous of San Antonio, Texas/USA Aerial Athletics, not only won the all-around crown (37.575), but also three of the four event titles: uneven bars, 9.500; balance beam, 9.425; and floor exercise, 9.525. Ashley Long of Oologah, Okla./Conoco-Phillips Gymnastics Club, placed second in the all-around with a score of 36.275. Naomi Devries of Venice, Fla./Tampa Bay Turners, finished with two ties: third in the all-around (36.025) with Ria Domier of Davis, Calif./Davis Diamonds; and first on vault (9.500) with Tina Necas of Las Vegas/Brown’s Las Vegas.

  • Senior C – Red River Valley Gymnastics’ Emily Wong of Grand Forks, N.D., earned all-around honors with her 37.650. Audrey Harrison of Knoxville, Tenn./Premier Athletics, claimed the silver all-around medal at 37.375. The all-around bronze went to Kaitlyn Betts of Canton, Mich./Michigan Elite, at 37.100. Madison Mooring of Bixby, Okla./Krafft Academy, won three individual event titles: vault, 9.575; beam, 9.600; and floor, 9.575. Cami Gilman of Kansas City, Mo./Eagles Missouri, captured the uneven bars title (9.350).

  • Senior D – The all-around crown went to Morgan Byrd of Rockville, Md./Apollo, for her 36.650. Emily Turik of Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake Gymnastics, was second in the all-around at 36.450, as well as won the bars title at 9.100. Ellen Marion of Wilmington, N.C./Ocean Flippers, garnered the all-around bronze medal (36.350), along with the floor exercise crown (9.625). The remaining two individual event champions were: Angie Hosbach of Coldwater, Ohio/Gem City, vault (9.425); and Emily Heinz of Algonquin, Ill./Aerial Gymnastics Club, balance beam (9.325).

Metroplex Gymnastics is the local gymnastics club that hosted both the 2010 Junior Olympic National Championships and the Junior Olympic NIT.

The Junior Olympic NIT was developed to allow an additional 192 athletes an opportunity to compete at the national level and features gymnasts who ranked eighth and ninth in the all-around in each of the eight age divisions at the Level 10 Regional Championships (provided they achieved a minimum all-around score of 34.00), plus any Regional individual event champions who did not qualify to the Junior Olympic Nationals or the Junior Olympic NIT in the all-around qualify for that event.

The U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships, the culmination event for the competitive season, is one of the national championships of USA Gymnastics, the sport’s national governing body in the United States. Many Junior Olympic champions have gone on to make the U.S. National Team and represent the United States in international competition and/or to compete in collegiate gymnastics.