FORT WORTH, Texas, May 8, 2016 – All-around champions for the Junior D, Junior E, Junior F, Senior D, Senior E and Senior F divisions were crowned today at the 2016 Women’s U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships at the Fort Worth (Texas) Convention Center. Level 10 is the highest level in the Junior Olympic program, which is just under the elite level. There was a tie in the Super Team competition with Regions I and III sharing the title. Region 5 placed third.

The top three in each division are as follows.

  • Junior D: 1. Gabryel Wilson of MAG, 38.900; 2. Cassie Stevens of Arizona Sunrays, 38.475; 3. Nevaeh DeSouza of Dream Xtreme, 38.150.
  • Junior E: 1t. Payton Richards of Aerial Gymnastics, and Rachel Baumann of WOGA, 38.350; 3. Karley McClain of All American, 38.300.
  • Junior F: 1t. Abby Heiskell of Southeastern and Shaylah Scott of Metroplex, 38.575; 3. Jade Carey of Oasis, 38.475.
  • Senior D: 1. Kyla Bryant of Georgia Elite, 38.700; 2. Kyana George of Metroplex, 38.550; 3. Kennedi Edney of Precision Gymnastics, 38.375.
  • Senior E: 1. Taylor Houchin of GMG, 38.475; 2t. Kimberly Tessen of All American, and Paige Williams of Metroplex, 38.125.
  • Senior F: 1. Maddie Karr of Twin City Twisters, 39.025; 2. Cassidy Keelen of Texas Dreams, 38.575; and 3. Rachel Dickson of MEGA, 38.475.

In the team competition, Region 3 grabbed the title in the Senior D division while the team from Region 5 took top honors in Junior D. In the second session, Region 3 was victorious in the Senior E division and Region 1 was the Junior E team champion. In the final session of the competition, Region 5 took the Senior F title and Region 5 grabbed the top spot in Junior F.

The Junior Olympic National Championships is the culmination event for the competitive season. The competition features twelve age divisions (Junior A, Junior B, Junior C, Junior D, Junior E, Junior F, Senior A, Senior B, Senior C, Senior D, Senior E and Senior F), which are determined by birthdate. These gymnasts are vying to become Junior Olympic national champions in the all-around, as well as in all four events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.

USA Gymnastics has eight regions, and the top seven gymnasts from each region’s Regional Championships advanced to nationals. The top four all-around athletes in each age division also qualify to the 2016 Junior Olympic National Team and are invited to attend a National Training Camp at the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center at the Karolyi Ranch, a U.S. Olympic Training Site, in Huntsville, Texas.

The 2016 Women’s Junior Olympic National Championships is hosted by Metroplex Gymnastics.

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. Many of the country’s top gymnasts are former participants in the Junior Olympic program, including 2012 Olympic team champions Jordyn Wieber and Kyla Ross, 2009 World vault champion Kayla Williams, 2008 Olympic team silver-medalists Shawn Johnson and Samantha Peszek, and 2004 Olympic team silver-medalist Courtney McCool, to name a few.

The states that comprise each region are: Region 1 — Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah; Region 2 – Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington; Region 3 – Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming; Region 4 – Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin; Region 5 – Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio; Region 6 – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont; Region 7 – Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia; and Region 8 – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee.