Rutgers Gymnastics Announces Incoming Class
May 23 | Women's Gymnastics
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Rutgers women's gymnastics head coach Chrystal Chollet-Norton has announced the addition of nine incoming student-athletes comprising the Scarlet Knights' 2008 recruiting class.
The class includes five New Jersey standouts in Stacy Ruderman (Cherry Hill, N.J.), Nicole Schwartz (Somerset, N.J.), Jessica Kerley (Maplewood, N.J.), Katelyn Raymond (Burlington, N.J.) and Kerry Silverman (Randolph, N.J.). Also comprising this deep class is a pair of Maryland gymnasts in Melanie Brother (Crofton, Md.) and Danae Johnson (Silver Spring, Md.), Illinois native Alexandra Belvis (Addison, Ill.) and Pennsylvania native Stephanie Orkwis (Indiana, Pa.).
Brother joins the squad from Arundel High School in Gambrills, Md. She is a Level 10 gymnast and trains at Docksider gymnastics under the direction of Bob Ouellette. Brother has qualified for Level 10 USA Regionals each of the past two years and placed seventh last year on the uneven bars at the regional competition. In 2004, Brother qualified for Level 9 USA Eastern Nationals, where she took ninth on the vault. Brother has distinguished herself in the classroom as well, earning a No. 10 ranking in her class. She plans to enter the Rutgers engineering program beginning in the fall of 2008.
Ruderman, out of Cherry Hill East High School, has committed to Rutgers for the 2008-09 academic year. She trains at Will Moor School of Gymnastics under the direction of Kim Bonus, where she is a USA Level 10 competitor. In 2005, Ruderman qualified for the Level 9 Eastern Nationals Championship, where she took eighth on the balance beam.
Johnson, a Level 10 USA Gymnastics competitor from Silver Spring, Md., competes at Hills Gymnastics under head coach Kelli Hill. Johnson has qualified seven times as a USA Level 10 regional qualifier and spent four years with the national team. At the 2008 USA Level 10 state meet, she placed third on both the floor exercises and vault and fifth in the all-around.
Schwartz, the 2007 Star-Ledger and Home News Tribune High School Gymnast of the Year, is another Level 10 USA gymnast. From Bishop George Ahr High School, she competes with club coach Valdi Kolasa. In 2007 and 2008, Schwartz was a Level 10 regional qualifier and in 2007 finished in 12th place in the all-around exercises at the regional competition.
The Scarlet Knights welcome four other Garden State standouts. Kerley, who attends Columbia High School in Maplewood, is a Level 9 USA gymnast and competed with NYC Elite. Raymond, from Burlington and Burlington Township High School, comes to Rutgers after earning USA Level 9 status and competing with Will Moor gymnastics with coach Kim Bonus. Silverman is a Level 10 USA Gymnast from Randolph and Randolph High School where she competed with Rettigs School of Gymnastics, and was a 2008 Level 10 regional qualifier. She placed 19th in the all-around at the event.
Belvis joins the Scarlet Knights from Addison, Ill. and Addison Trail High School. She attends the Illinois Gymnastics Institute where she is a Level 10 USA Gymnast.
Rounding out the deep recruiting class is Orkwis, a Level 10 USA Gymnast from Indiana, Pa., and Indiana Area Senior High School. Competing at Gymkhana Gymnastics, Orkwis was seventh in the USA Regional Level 9 Championship and Level 9 USA National Vault Champion in 2007.
The incoming class will help fill the spots left by graduating seniors Elizabeth Bohnsack (Scottsdale, Ariz.), Stephanie Pannick (Archbald, Pa.), Tiffany Schramm (Orange County, Calif.), and Jacquelyn Verdon (Freehold, N.J.).
Rutgers finished this past season with a mark of 11-13-1 overall and placed eighth at the EAGL Championships.
