SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento State gymnastics team has signed four gymnasts to National Letters of Intent, it was announced by head coach Kim Hughes. The four are comprised of Jennifer Brenner, Annie Juarez, Lauren Rice and Caitlin Soliwoda. All four will enroll as freshman in the fall of 2014.
"I'm excited about this class," Hughes said. "These four are all all-arounders with a greet mix of power and grace. They are all pretty well-rounded on each event."
Brenner, a native of Oviedo, Florida, has trained at Ace Gymnastics for the past nine years where she was coached by Ray Gnat. In 2013, she was the Florida State champion on vault for Level 10 and won the state title on floor the previous season. Brenner was also a Junior Olympic national qualifier the last two seasons and a two-time regional qualifier.
"Jennifer's strengths are floor and beam but she will train in each event," Hughes said. "She has unique dance skills on beam and floor which sets her apart."
Juarez hails from Westfield, Ind., where she trained at Deveau's School of Gymnastics under Don Gibson, Amy Scales and Tom Strange. At the 2013 Level 10 Regionals, she finished first on floor, second on bars, fourth and vault and was third in the all-around.
"She is very powerful and is a dynamo," Hughes said. "She has a huge pike front half vault like Kalliah (McCartney). Her floor routine has a double arabian and a double back."
Rice has trained at GymCats in Henderson, Nev., where she was coached by her mother, Cassie. She was the 2013 Level 10 regional champion on beam and placed second in the all-around at the state meet. Rice qualified for the NIT meet in 2012 and 2013 and was a Western qualifier in 2010 and 2011.
"Lauren also brings a unique dynamic in that she not only choreographs her own routine but others in her club," Hughes said. "Her floor routine will stand out. She has a nice double pike and twists well. To win our region on beam is a big deal. She also has good solid bars with a major release and has a full twisting Yerchenko vault."
Soliwoda is also a product of GymCats where she earned the club's most improved award last season. She finished seventh in the all-around at the NIT in 2013 and has career highs of 9.800 on vault and 9,825 on bars.
"Caitlin has all the events covered with good basics," Hughes said. "She has a full twisting layout Yerchenko on vault, a double layout on bars with a major release move. She has all the stuff you need on beam and a nice double pike on floor."