INDIANAPOLIS, June 19, 2015 – 2014 U.S. rhythmic all-around co-champion Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, and acrobatic gymnastics women’s pair Jessica Renteria and Maren Merwarth, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio, who finished third in the World Cup Series rankings, are among the rhythmic and acrobatic gymnasts who are competing at the 2015 USA Gymnastics Championships June 23-28 at the Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum Complex. 2014 Youth Olympic Games rhythmic all-around bronze medalist Laura Zeng of Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, is also competing in rhythmic gymnastics, and 2009 World Games and 2010 World champion Michael Rodrigues, with his new partner Eirian Smith, both of Livermore, Calif./West Coast Training Center, is returning to competition after a four-year break.



The six-day competition is the national championships for acrobatic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, and trampoline and tumbling, and it features competition on both Junior Olympic and elite levels. The junior and senior elite gymnasts compete June 25-27, with the Junior Olympic competition spanning all six days.



The rhythmic gymnastics competition features 44 junior and senior elite gymnasts and 142 Junior Olympians. The senior rhythmic group will also be performing, along with nine junior and Junior Olympic groups. The members of the senior group are: Kiana Eide of Northbrook, Ill., Alisa Kano of Glencoe, Ill., Natalie McGiffert of Northbrook, Ill., Jennifer Rokhman of Northbrook, Ill., Monica Rokhman of Northbrook, Ill., and Kristen Shaldybin of Chicago, Ill., all of North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center.



For acrobatic gymnastics, the senior and junior elite competition features 33 pairs and groups and 300 Junior Olympic pairs and groups.



USA Gymnastics will provide live webcast coverage of three evening sessions from Greensboro with expert analysis from acrobatic gymnastics World Championships and World Games gold medalist Kristin Allen, six-time U.S. rhythmic gymnastics all-around champion Rebecca Sereda, and former trampoline and tumbling U.S. National Team member Peter Dodd. The webcasts of the senior elite competition will be available on the USA Gymnastics YouTube channel or USAGymChamps.com/live Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6-9 p.m. ET. Former NCAA and Big Ten gymnastics champion Evan Heiter will join Allen, Sereda and Dodd as the host. The webcasts will be available worldwide free of charge on USAGymChamps.com/live.



About the USA Gymnastics Championships
Tickets are on sale now. Evening session tickets at the Greensboro Coliseum are: June 25 and 26, $25; and June 27, $30. The all-session pass, which grants access to all sessions at both venues, is $80. For the events at the Coliseum Complex’s Special Events Center, a $30, single-day pass will be available onsite on competition days. Tickets may be purchased at the Greensboro Coliseum Box Office, ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Group discounts are available for groups of 10 or more by calling 336-373-7433 or emailing [email protected]. For special pricing for gymnastics clubs, contact the Greensboro Coliseum Group Sales Department at 336-373-7433 or [email protected]. For more information on the USA Gymnastics Championships, please go to usagymchamps.com.

The local hosts for the event are the Greensboro Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Tournament Hosts of Greensboro, Greensboro Sports Commission, and Sports & Properties, Inc. Greensboro played host to the AT&T American Cup, the premier international invitational held in the United States, and the Nastia Liukin Cup in 2014.

For the junior and senior elite levels for each discipline, the athletes will be vying for national titles. Performances will determine berths on the junior and senior U.S. National Teams for rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline and tumbling. The Junior Olympic division has several different levels, and national titles will be awarded for each level and age group for each discipline. The Junior Olympic levels for each of the disciplines are: acrobatic gymnastics – Levels 6-10; rhythmic gymnastics – Levels 7-8; and trampoline and tumbling – Levels 8-10.

The schedule, outlined below, has the junior and senior elites competing June 25-27, with Junior Olympic sessions running all six days. NOTE: Level refers to the Junior Olympic competition level. The schedule is subject to change.

Tuesday, June 23
Special Events Center
1:30 p.m. – Rhythmic gymnastics, Level 7
5 p.m. – Synchronized trampoline, prelims and finals, all levels
6 p.m. – Rhythmic gymnastics, Level 7

Wednesday, June 24
Special Events Center
9 a.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, Level 7; Rhythmic gymnastics, Level 7; Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, Levels 9-10/Youth Elite/Open Elite
1:30 p.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, Level 8; Rhythmic gymnastics, Level 7; Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, Levels 9-10/Youth Elite/Open Elite
6 p.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, Level 7; Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, Levels 9-10/Youth Elite/Open Elite

Thursday, June 25
Special Events Center
9 a.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, Level 8; Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, Levels 9-10/Youth Elite/Open Elite
1:30 p.m. – Rhythmic gymnastics, Level 8
Greensboro Coliseum
9 a.m. – Rhythmic gymnastics, junior and senior elite all-around preliminaries and event finals
2:30 p.m. – Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, junior elite preliminaries
6 p.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, junior and senior elite preliminaries; Rhythmic gymnastics, senior elite all-around preliminaries and event finals; Tumbling and double mini-trampoline, senior elite preliminaries

Friday, June 26
Special Events Center
9 a.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, Level 6; Trampoline and tumbling, Level 9/Open Elite finals
1:30 p.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, Levels 9-10; Rhythmic gymnastics, Level 8; Trampoline and tumbling, Level 10/Youth Elite finals
Greensboro Coliseum
9 a.m. – Rhythmic gymnastics, junior event/all-around finals and senior elite preliminaries/event finals
6 p.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, junior and senior elite preliminaries; Rhythmic gymnastics, senior elite all-around preliminaries/event finals; Trampoline, senior elite preliminaries

Saturday, June 27
Special Events Center
9 a.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, Level 6; Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, Level 8
1:30 p.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, Levels 9-10; Rhythmic gymnastics, Level 8
Greensboro Coliseum
10:30 a.m. – Rhythmic gymnastics, senior elite all-around finals (two events)
2:30 p.m. – Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, junior elite finals
6 p.m. – Acrobatic gymnastics, junior and senior elite finals; Rhythmic gymnastics, senior elite all-around finals; Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, senior elite finals

Sunday, June 28
Special Events Center
9 a.m. – Rhythmic gymnastics, Level 8; Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, Level 8
10:30 a.m. – Rhythmic gymnastics, Junior Olympic group; Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline, Level 8

Acrobatic gymnastics combines the beauty of dance with the strength and agility of acrobatics. Routines are choreographed to music and consist of dance, tumbling, and partner skills. At the elite level, each pair or group performs a balance, dynamic and combined routine. Pyramids and partner holds characterize the balance routine, while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight elements define the dynamic exercise. An acrobatic gymnastics pair consists of a base and a top. A women’s group is comprised of three athletes – a base, middle and top partner – while a men’s group has four athletes, a base, two middle partners and one top partner.

Rhythmic gymnastics is characterized by grace, beauty and elegance combined with dance and acrobatic elements, while working with ribbons, balls, hoops, ropes and clubs in a choreographed routine to music. The choreography must cover the entire floor and contain a balance of jumps, leaps, pivots, balances and flexibility movements. Only four of the apparatus are competed each quad, and the four for 2016 are hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. Each movement involves a high degree of athletic skill. Physical abilities needed by a rhythmic gymnast include strength, power, flexibility, agility, dexterity, endurance and hand-eye coordination.

Trampoline events involve athletes using trampolines that can propel them up to 30 feet in the air, during which they can perform double and triple twisting somersaults. Tumbling utilizes elevated rod-floor runways that enable athletes to jump at heights more than 10 feet and execute a variety of acrobatic maneuvers. For the double-mini competition, the athlete makes a short run, leaps onto a small two-level trampoline, performs an aerial maneuver and dismounts onto a landing mat. Trampoline was added to the Olympic Games in 2000, and at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the USA had its first athlete in history advance to the finals.

In 2014, the USA Gymnastics Championships was held at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Background information

  • Greensboro Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Greensboro Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is an independent, non-profit governmental authority whose mission is to aggressively market Greensboro’s assets, maximizing economic impact while providing excellent visitor service. Guilford County ranks third in the state in travel and tourism expenditures, with over $1 billion generated in 2011 and more than 11,700 people employed in travel-related jobs. For more information: www.visitgreensboronc.com.

  • Greensboro Sports Commission. The mission of the Greensboro Sports Commission is to foster economic development through coordinating and developing Greensboro’s role as a leading site for sports events involving youth, collegiate, amateur and professional organizations. The Greensboro Sports Commission acts as a clearing house for sporting activities in the Greensboro area and assists organizations and promoters in making Greensboro the host city for sports events. For more information: www.greensborosports.org.

  • Greensboro Coliseum Complex. The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is a multi-building facility designed to serve the citizens of Greensboro and the surrounding area through a broad range of activities, including athletic events, cultural arts, concerts, theater, educational activities, fairs, exhibits, and public and private events of all kinds including conventions, convocations and trade and consumer shows. The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is one of the most actively booked facilities in the country hosting more than 1,100 events on an annual basis. With its incredible versatility, the Complex has gained worldwide acclaim from promoters, producers, event planners and patrons. For more information; www.greensborocoliseum.com.

  • Sports & Properties, Inc. SPI is a sports marketing and sports development firm concentrating in three primary areas of business: major sponsorships, including naming rights; sports tourism; and major events. SPI’s recent projects include the Africa Youth Games, new sports complexes for Seminole County, Florida; the USA Gymnastics AT&T American Cup and Nastia Liukin Cup; and the 2015 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships. SPI clients include Capitol Broadcasting Company, PIER 39, the Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Seminole County, Fla., and the United States Olympic Committee, among others. For more information on SPI, visit sportsproperties.com.

2015 USA Gymnastics Championships rhythmic and acrobatic gymnastics field
Includes only senior elite and junior elite athletes as of June 12, 2015
Athletes listed alphabetically by state

Rhythmic gymnastics

    California
    Brigita Budginas, Agoura Hills, Calif./Burlo Gymnastics, senior
    Heather Chan, South Pasadena, Calif./Isadora, senior
    Eliza Cohen, Los Angeles, Calif./California Rhythms, junior
    Nastasya Generalova, Los Angeles, Calif./California Rhythms, junior
    Catherine Gonzales, Long Beach, Calif./Eurogymnastics, senior
    Anfisa Kupriyanova, Pleasant Hills, Calif./Community Youth Center, senior
    Gabrielle Lowenstein, Huntington Beach, Calif./Eurogymnastics, senior
    Lili Mizuno, Brentwood, Calif./Community Youth Center, junior
    Aliya Protto, Culver City, Calif./California Rhythms, senior
    Kristina Sobolevskaya, Marina Del Rey, Calif./California Rhythms, junior
    Desiree Webb, Santa Monica, Calif./Rhythmic Academy of Los Angeles, junior

    Florida
    Caroline Balcita, St. Augustine, Fla./World Rhythmics, junior
    Sydney Rhoads, Appollo Beach, Fla./Tampa Bay Rhythmics, senior
    Pamela Tang, Riverview, Fla./Tampa Bay Rhythmics, senior

    Georgia
    Elena Shinohara, Suwanee, Ga./Rhythmic Brains, junior

    Illinois
    Daria Alexandra Baltovick, Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, junior
    Natalie Bourand, Burr Ridge, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, junior
    Karrine Denisova, Wilmette, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, junior
    Ugne Dragunas, Darien, Ill./Vitrychenko Academy Corp, junior
    Cama Feeley, Deerfield, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, senior
    Evita Griskenas, Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, junior
    Jazzy Kerber, Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, senior
    Yelyzaveta Merenzon, Buffalo Grove, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, senior
    Nicole Sladkov, Vernon Hills, Ill./M & N Rhythmic Academy, senior
    Victoria Urso, Vernon Hills, Ill./M&N, HOPES
    Laura Zeng, Libertyville, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, senior

    Massachusetts
    Amanda Wang, Carlisle, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams, junior
    Anya Zhang, Belmont, Mass./Rhythmic Dreams, senior

    Minnesota
    Sonia Popova, Minneapolis, Minn./Twin Cities Rhythmic, senior

    New Jersey
    Nikita Tang, Basking Ridge, N.J./Isadora, junior
    Rebecca Tang, Basking Ridge, N.J./Isadora, HOPES

    New York
    Ekatherina Kapitonova, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, junior
    Elizabeth Kapitonova, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, HOPES
    Serena Lu, Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, senior
    Yekaterina Ronin, Brooklyn, N.Y./Matchpoint NYC, junior
    Hannah Walter, Angola, N.Y./Gymnastics Unlimited-Orchard Park, senior

    Pennsylvania
    Ariel Goldberg, Southampton, Pa./Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy, senior
    Ekaterina Komarova, Holland, Pa./Philadelphia Rhythmic Academy, senior
    Lilia Tamkovitch, Philadelphia, Pa./Iliana Rhythmic Gymnastics, junior

    Texas
    Faith Bolden, Fresno, Texas/California Rhythms, junior
    Shallie Rasin, Frisco, Texas/Rhythmic Ribbon of Texas c/o Infinite Bounds, junior
    Hayley Bonanti, Nokesville, Va./Gymnastics World, junior
    Nicole Kaloyanov, Woodbridge, Va./Gymnastics World, junior

    Virginia
    Shannon Xiao, Fairfax, Va./Gymnastics World, HOPES

Acrobatic gymnastics
Athletes are listed in their pair/group by state, alpha by club

    California
    Analiese Feuerstein, Rion Page, San Luis Obispo, Calif./Central Coast Gymnastics Sports Center, Mixed Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Anna Blough, Brian Coffey, Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy, Mixed Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Aisley Boynton, Maxim Sedochenkov, Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy, Mixed Pair, Jr. Elite (13-19)
    Axel Osborne, Tiffani Williams, Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy, Mixed Pair, Sr. Elite
    Michael Rodrigues, Eirian Smith, Livermore, Calif./WestCoast Training Center, Mixed Pair, Sr. Elite
    Caitlynn Guzman, Jennifer Hull, Taylor Witana, San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling and AcroGymnastics, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Romina Gupta, Cheyenna Jones, Kaylee Witana, San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling and AcroGymnastics, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Neena Deshpande, Taryn Kies, Allison Tokunaga, San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling and AcroGymnastics, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Angela De Line, Catherine Mulder, Shay Smiley Rooney, San Luis Obispo, Calif./Central Coast Gymnastics Sports Center, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Sophie Gruszka, Morgan Sweeney, Amanda Waterson, Livermore, Calif./WestCoast Training Center, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (13-19)
    Eily Corbett, Sydney Wu, Nicole Yamamoto, Livermore, Calif./WestCoast Training Center, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (13-19)
    Samantha Servellon, Heather Vachon, San Jose, Calif./Aerial Tumbling and AcroGymnastics, Women’s Pair, Jr. Elite (13-19)
    Janelle Setina, Erin Stipanov, San Luis Obispo, Calif./Central Coast Gymnastics Sports Center, Women’s Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Olivia Staff, Ciera Wilson, Riverside, Calif./Empire Acrogymnastics, Women’s Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Nicole Chin, Jenna Williams, Livermore, Calif./WestCoast Training Center, Women’s Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)

    Louisiana
    Lexei Schultz, Lally Seither, New Orleans, La./Crescent City Gymnastics, Women’s Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)

    Maryland
    Paige Murphy, Hannah Seiger, Allison Snyder, Annapolis, Md./1st Class Gymnastics Inc, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Emma Bentov-Lagman, Cristin Connerney, Lilianna Dyer, Annapolis, Md./1st Class Gymnastics Inc, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (13-19)
    Anna Grafov, Caitlyn Kicza, Lauren Pountnay, Columbia, Md./Emilia’s Acro Gymnastics and Cheer, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Elanor Chang, Abigail Disman, Melanie Vaughn, Columbia, Md./Emilia’s Acro Gymnastics and Cheer, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (13-19)
    Savannah Bentley, Hannah Silverman, Elise Stickley, Columbia, Md./Emilia’s Acro Gymnastics and Cheer, Women’s Group, Sr. Elite
    Lonnie Garrett, Josephina Kievsky, Mila Segel, Columbia, Md./Emilia’s Acro Gymnastics and Cheer, Women’s Group, Sr. Elite
    Helena Hall, Lindsay Maier, Sydney Vander Linden, Mount Airy, Md./Skyview Gymnastics, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Ginger Burrows, Jordyn Feldman, Halle Quintanilla, Rockville, Md./Xtreme Acro and Cheer, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Sophia Handel, Cameron Jones, Sara Mercer, Rockville, Md./Xtreme Acro and Cheer, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)

    Missouri
    McKenzie Handy, Treva Neathery, Megan Nordike, Blue Springs, Mo./Acro Explosion, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)

    Ohio
    Kendall Anderson, Ashli Maynard, Wilmington, Ohio/Clinton County YMCA, Women’s Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)

    Texas
    Mady Marlow, Joseph McGraw, San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio, Mixed Pair, Jr. Elite (13-19)
    Sladen Osborne, Lydia Webb, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, Mixed Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Alyssa Delgado, Gabriela Foster, Connie Kickirillo, San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio, Women’s Group, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Thalia Berry, Aubrey Rosilier, San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio, Women’s Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)
    Maren Merwarth, Jessica Renteria, San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio, Women’s Pair, Sr. Elite
    Riley Chimwala, Sarah Williamson, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, Women’s Pair, Jr. Elite (12-18)