HUNTSVILLE, Texas, Dec. 21, 2015 – USA Gymnastics has selected the U.S. athletes who will represent the United States at the World Acrobatic Gymnastics Championships, scheduled for March 21-April 5 in Putian, China. The U.S. Team was named following the conclusion of the U.S. Acrobatic Gymnastics World Team Trials held this past weekend at the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center at the Karolyi Ranch, an official U.S. Olympic Training Site, in Huntsville, Texas. The trials were the selection event for both the 2016 World Championships and World Age Group Competitions.
The 2016 World Championships are the qualifying competition for the 2017 World Games, the Olympic Games equivalent for non-Olympic events, in Wroclaw, Poland. The USA has already qualified for a spot for rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline.
The members of the U.S. World Acro Championships Team are listed below.
Women’s Pair
- Jessica Renteria and Maren Merwarth, both of San Antonio, Texas/ Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio; reigning U.S. champions
Women’s Group
- Savannah Bentley of Annapolis, Md., Hannah Silverman of Baltimore, Md., and Elise Stickley of Woodbine, Md./Emilias Acro Gymnastics and Cheer
- Londrea Garrett of Columbia Md., Josphina Kievsky of Elkridge, Md., and Mila Segel of Reisterstown, Md./Emilias Acro Gymnastics and Cheer; reigning U.S. champions
Mixed Pair
- Tiffani Williams of Moreno Valley, Calif., and Axel Osborne of Beaumont, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy; reigning U.S. champions
Bentley, Silverman and Stickley were added to the senior national team after being selected to the World Team.
A delegation for the World Age Group Competitions was also named.
11-16 age group
- Women’s pair
- Alex Edwards and Morgan Price, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio
- Sarah Diamond and Elizabeth Heinz, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio
- Emma Fitzgerald and Jarrett Darrah, both of Placerville, Calif./Northern California Acrobatic Foundation
- Devon Merwarth and Aidan Merwarth, both of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio
- Alternates: Carina Newlin and Dorian White of Castro Valley, Calif./West Coast Training Center
- Jordan Gruendler, Elizabeth Kirchner and Alexis Leinonen, all of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio
- Holland Koller of Annapolis, Md., Amanda Shrader of Edgewater, Md., and Julia Shrader of Edgewater/1st Class Gymnastics
- Alternates: Kharissa Darden of Moreno Valley, Calif., Autumn Parry of Riverside, Calif., and Summie Shows of Riverside/Realis Gymnastics
- Angel Felix of Moreno Valley, Calif., and Braiden McDougall of Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics
- Sean Butehorn of Mt. Airy, Md., Daniel Disman of Clarksville, Md., Grant Shields of Columbia, Md., and Sean Shields of Columbia/Emilia’s Acro Gymnastics
Mixed pair
Women’s group
Men’s pair
Men’s group
12-18 age group
- Women’s pair
- Thalia Berry of Boerne, Texas, and Aubrey Rosilier of San Antonio, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio
- Olivia Staff of Redlands, Calif., and Ciera Wilson of Riverside, Calif./Empire AcroGymnastics
- Alternates: Kaela Helton of Rockville, Md., and Isabele Santos of Highland, Md./Xtreme Acro
- Lydia Webb of Plano, Texas, and Sladen Osborne of Richardson, Texas/World Olympic Gymnastics Academy
- Anna Blough and Brian Coffey, both of Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy
- Sophia Handel of Annapolis, Md., Cameron Jones of Potomac, Md., and Sara Mercer of Rockville, Md./Xtreme Acro
- Anna Grafov of Ellicott City, Md., Caitlyn Kicza of Woodbine, Md., and Lauren Pountnay of Columbia, Md./Emilia’s Acro Gymnastics
- Alternates: Romina Gupta of Morgan Hill, Calif., Cheyenna Jones of San Jose, Calif., and Kaylee Witana of Campbell, Calif./ATA
Mixed pairs
Women’s group
13-19 age group
- Mixed Pair
- Aisley Boynton and Maxim Sedochenkov, both of Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy
- Mady Marlow of San Antonio, Texas, and Joseph McGraw of Plano, Texas/Acrobatic Gymnastics of San Antonio
- Emma Bentov-Lagman of Annapolis, Md., Cristin Connerney of Annapolis, and Lilianna Dyer of Arnold, Md./1st Class Gymnastics
- Sophie Gruszka of San Ramon, Calif., Morgan Sweeney of Danville, Calif., and Amanda Waterson of San Ramon/West Coast Training Center
- Alternates: Eily Corbett of Danville, Calif., Sydney Wu of Castro Valley, Calif., and Nicole Yamamoto of Pleasanton, Calif./West Coast Training Center
Women’s group