GYM: 2019 Newcomers

The GymDawgs Welcome Six New Gymnasts To The Team // 1.3.18

By Washington Huskies

January 3^rd, 2019

Washington will have an infusion of fresh talent on the team this season, welcoming six freshman to the GymDawg family. This will be Washington's biggest freshman class since 2015, when they also had six. That class would go on to make back-to-back NCAA Nationals, just the second time that has happened in program history, before graduating last year. This year's freshmen will try to help Washington make their third consecutive NCAA Nationals trip.

"Our freshman class is very diverse in background and personality, which is one of my favorite things about them," said head coach Elise Ray-Statz. "There is a steep learning curve to teach the ways and expectations of UW, but the entire class has shown immense growth and dedication in four months. Not one of them has backed down from the challenge that is freshman year preseason. I am so excited for them to see and feel the payoff of their commitment and hard work. It will be most fulfilling to see them believe in themselves the way we all have from the beginning."

This year's group includes a plethora of state and regional champions, as well as multiple Canadian national champions. The group will see action across all four events for the GymDawgs as they begin their college career facing some of the nation's best competition all year long.

BRENNA BROOKS

Brooks comes to Washington with an impressive resume, having finished in the nation's top ten on beam just this last year at JO Nationals. She won state championships in Texas on beam, floor, and all-around in 2017, her second all-around state championship after also taking one home in 2015.

TALIA BROVEDANI

With two top-three finishes at the 2018 Region I Championships, Brovedani enters her collegiate career having proven her chops. In addition to those second-place beam and third-place floor finishes, Brovedani finished in the top three on bars, beam, floor, and all-around at the 2018 NorCal Championships. She won a NorCal championship on floor in 2016 and took second on bars and beam that same year.

AMARA CUNNINGHAM

Cunningham has had an impressive career already before setting foot in a collegiate gym. The New Yorker won state and regional championships on vault in 2018 before enrolling at UW. She finished fourth in the nation on vault at 2018 JO Nationals, where she also took sixth on floor. Cunningham won a New York state championship in 2017 on all-around, then followed that up with regional championships on vault, floor, and all-around.

MADELINE MCLELLAN

McLellan brings a national championship pedigree to Washington. The Canadian has already earned national championships on vault and bars in her career, as well as finishing sixth on floor at the 2017 Canadian National Championships. McLellan won a number of Alberta provincial championships in her career, taking home that award for her work on vault, bars, beam, and all-around at various points.

MEAGHAN RUTTAN

Ruttan is Washington's third Calgary native, joining junior Madison Copiak and fellow freshman Madeline McLellan from the Great White North. She has competed on the Canadian National Team for the last six years, helping the team to a number of impressive showings internationally. Individually, Ruttan has won silver medals on beam at the Pan-American Championships and at the Canadian Championships, where she also took home bronze on bars. Ruttan is a Canadian national champion on beam and finished third in the country on floor and all-around.

HANNAH VANDENKOLK

Washington's final freshman has excelled for years in her native California. Vandenkolk took third in the state on floor. After impressive showings the last two years at the state championship level, Vandenkolk has twice finished in the top ten in Region I on beam, including a third-place finish. She has earned a top-ten finish on floor in the SoCal Championships in three of the last four years, finishing 11th the only time she did not reach that mark.