HAMPTON, Va., May 12, 2012 – The last four of the eight all-around champions were named today at the 2012 Women’s U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships at the Hampton (Va.) Roads Convention Center. The two-day event featured nearly 450 of the USA’s best Level 10 gymnasts, who competed on the highest level in the Junior Olympic program that is just under the elite level.

Region 3 won the Super Team award with 53 points and Regions 1 and 5 tied for second with 47 points.

The top four gymnasts in each age group make up the Junior Olympic National Team. The champions determined on May 12 are as follows.

  • Junior C – Alex McMurtry of Midlothian, Va./Richmond Olympiad, won the all-around competition with a score of 38.825 and she also won floor exercise with a score of 9.850. Samantha Partyka of Katy, Texas/Champions-Texas, took second in the all-around with a score of 38.400 and won vault with a score of 9.875. Elizabeth Gangale of Henderson, Nev./Brown’s Las Vegas, finished third in the all-around with a score of 38.225. Desi Borgese of Los Gatos, Calif./Airborne Gymnastics, took fourth in the all-around with a score of 38.150 and first on the uneven bars with a 9.650. Alyssa Shermetaro of Rochester Hills, Mich./Olympia Gym-Michigan, and Erin Macadaeg of Redwood City, Calif./San Mateo, tied for first on balance beam with a score of 9.625.

    Region 1 won the Junior A team title with a score of 152.350, followed by Region 3 with 152.300 and Region 5 with a score of 151.925.

  • Senior C – Keeley Kmieciak of Naperville, Ill./Phenom Gymnastics, won the all-around title with a score of 38.550 and also took first on vault (9.900) and floor exercise (9.775). Morgan Smith of Clermont, Fla./Brandy Johnson Gymnastics, took second in the all-around with a score of 38.250 and also won uneven bars with a score of 9.650. Nicolette McNair of Dove Canyon, Calif./Gym Max, took third in the all-around with a score of 38.200. Hanna Nordquist of Otsego, Minn./Twin City Twisters, and Stacie Webb of Phelan, Calif./Gym Max, tied for fourth in the all-around with a score of 38.025. Nordquist also won balance beam with a 9.675.

    Region 5 won the Senior A team title with a score of 152.550, followed by Region 1 with a 151.550 and Region 8 with a 151.250.

  • Junior D – There was a tie for the Junior D all-around title between Grace Williams of Linden, Mich./Gedderts’ Twistars, and Aja Sims of Orlando, Fla./Brandy Johnson Gymnastics, with a score of 38.775. Sims also won the uneven bars title with a score of 9.750 and the balance beam gold with a 9.700. Alyssa Jackson of Belton, Mo./Eagles, took third in the all-around with a score of 38.625 and won the vault title with a score of 9.850. Alexis Mattern of Harrisburg, Pa./ASAP, finished fourth in the all-around with a score of 38.475. Nicole Artz of Holland, Mich./Champion USA Gym, won the gold medal on floor with a score of 9.750.

    Region 5 won the team title with a score of 153.050, followed by Region 7 with 153.025 and Region 3 with a 152.950.

  • Senior D – Randii Wyrick of Las Vegas, Nev./Brown’s Las Vegas, won the all-around title with a score of 38.550 and the balance beam title with a score of 9.675. Lauren Beers of Warren Center, Pa./Southern Tier GA, finished second in the all-around with a score of 38.450, as well as won the uneven bars with a score of 9.675 and the floor exercise title with a score of 9.725. Breanna Hughes of Champlin, Minn./Twin City Twisters, finished third in the all-around with a score of 38.400. Carley Sims of Birmingham, Ala./JJG, finished fourth in the all-around with a score of 38.025. Sims and Shelby Edwards of San Tan Valley, Ariz./Carters Gymnastics, tied for the gold medal on vault with a score of 9.800.

    Region 1 won the team title with a score of 153.150 followed by Region 4 with 152.125 and Region 3 with a 151.100.

The Junior Olympic National Championships is the culmination event for the competitive season. 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.

The U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships 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.

The Junior Olympic National Invitational Tournament (NIT) is held in conjunction with the Women’s National Junior Olympic Championships. The JO-NIT was developed to allow an additional 192 athletes an opportunity to compete at the national level and features gymnasts who ranked eighth, ninth and 10th 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 JO-NIT in the all-around qualify for that event.