Photo by: Rich Graessle
Gymnastics Welcomes Seven Newcomers
Sep 11 | Women's Gymnastics
Fall semester underway at Rutgers
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – With the fall semester underway, Rutgers gymnastics welcomes seven newcomers to campus. The group will be part of the 2017-18 season for the Scarlet Knights and includes freshmen Sophia Atienza, Emily Drauss, Belle Huang, Hannah Prieto and Toni Williams, as well as transfers Shannon Farrell and Rachel Ley.
"I am really excited to welcome these seven exceptionally talented and intelligent student-athletes to our gymnastics family," head coach Louis Levine said. "This group is a great balance of power and finesse that will add to the strength of our lineups on all four events."
Sophia Atienza
Copley, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit High School
Notes: Competed for Pinnacle Gymnastics for 14 years … placed fifth on vault and sixth on floor exercise at the 2017 Level 10 Regionals … earned third place on vault in 2017 and took second on vault and fifth on floor exercise in 2016 at the Level 10 Ohio meet … won all-around, on vault and on floor at the 2017 Arnold Gymnastics Challenge … claimed the Level 10 Ohio state championship on vault in 2015 … also ranked second on floor exercise at both the 2014 Level 9 Eastern Nationals and Ohio meet … earned State Board of Education diploma with Honors and the 2017 Kari McCloskey Memorial Scholarship … daughter of Cristina and Allan Atienza … mother played volleyball at Baldwin Wallace and father wrestled at Case Western Reserve … has a younger sister, Julia, who is a club gymnast … cousins, Jordan and Nathan, wrestle at Central Michigan and Michigan State, respectively … intends to major in public health.
Emily Drauss
Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley High School
Notes: Competed for Brandy Johnson's Global Gymnastics Academy for nine years … participated as USAG gymnast for 12 years … claimed third on uneven bars, second on balance beam and third all-around at the 2017 Level 10 Florida state championships … recorded a fourth-place finish on balance beam at the 2017 Level 10 Region 8 Championships … placed fourth on uneven bars at the 2016 Level 10 Florida state competition … earned second on uneven bars, third on vault and fourth all-around at the 2015 Level 10 Florida championships … also took fifth on beam at Level 10 Regionals and qualified for the 2015 Junior Olympic NIT … won first place on balance beam at 2013 Level 10 Florida states, while earning silver on uneven bars … competed at the 2013 Junior Olympic NIT with a fifth-place finish all-around, fourth on uneven bars and fifth on balance beam … a member of the National Honor Society … an AP Scholar with Honors … picked up the Principal's 4.0 Award all four years … graduated summa cum laude … daughter of Sue and John Drauss … has an older brother, Geoffrey Vargish … intends to major in engineering.
Shannon Farrell
Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Henry Hudson Regional High School/University of Arizona
Notes: Spent the 2016-17 season at the University of Arizona … competed 18 years for Rebound Gymnastics … qualified five times for Level 10 Regionals … claimed the Level 10 floor exercise national championship and the Level 9 uneven bars state championship … high school graduating class only included 36 students … daughter of Robert and Diane Farrell, who are both gymnastics coaches … sister, Tiffany, also a coach, was a member of the USA National Team and competed at Arizona … also has two brothers.
Belle Huang
Gaithersburg, Md./Tuscarora High School
Notes: Competed for Excellence Gym Sports (EGS) for 13 years … won the national championship on balance beam at the 2017 Junior Olympic Nationals held in Indianapolis … also placed sixth all-around at the competition … finished third at the 2017 Maryland Level 10 State Championship … placed 25th all-around and ninth on floor exercise at the 2016 Junior Olympic Nationals … qualified five times (2012-16) at Level 10 Regionals with a second-place finish on balance beam in 2016, adding fourth on floor exercise and seventh all-around … earned fourth on uneven bars in 2015 and fourth on balance beam in 2012 … took first all-around and on floor exercise in fifth appearance at 2016 Level 10 Maryland state competition, while being second on balance beam and third on both uneven bars and vault … finished first on uneven bars, second on floor exercise and third all-around in same meet in 2015 … earned first at state meet all-around and on balance beam in 2012 … notched first on uneven bars and floor exercise, second on balance beam and third all-around at the 2010 Level 8 Maryland championships … started gymnastics at the age of three … finished fifth in graduating class after earning a 4.71 GPA … recorded straight A's throughout high school to collect honor roll recognition each semester … daughter of Irving Huang and Sunny Chou.
Rachel Ley
Trophy Club, Texas/Byron Nelson High School/University of Missouri
Notes: Spent the 2016-17 season at the University of Missouri … previously competed for Top Flight Gymnastics … won multiple state and regional titles throughout Level 10 career … claimed the balance beam title at the 2014 Zenith Classic Invitational … placed 10th in the all-around at the 2013 JO National Invitational Tournament … won the 2011 and 2012 Region 9 Championships … finished fourth in the all-around at the 2011 Western Championships … boasted best Level 10 scores of 37.725 in the all-around, 9.450 on vault, 9.650 on bars, 9.375 on beam and 9.500 on floor … a member of the National Honor Society … served as the student council chairman and as a class officer … daughter of David and Judy Ley … has a younger sister, Ashley … intends to major in public health.
Hannah Prieto
Westfield, N.J./Westfield High School
Notes: Competed for Surgent's Elite School of Gymnastics from 2008-2017 … earned 2017 JOGA state championships on balance beam, while placing second all-around, second on floor exercise and third on vault … picked up the JOGA all-around state championship in 2016 … a four-year letterwinner on the Westfield gymnastics team … served as team captain as a senior … recorded the 2016 county championship on balance beam and placed third on floor exercise … member of the National Honor Society … a four-year distinguished honor roll student … registered the President's Award of Academic Achievement and winner of the Breakthrough Wellness Center Scholarship Essay Contest in 2016 … daughter of Shari Cohen and Tony Prieto … has two younger brothers, Cooper and Charlie … intends to major in psychology.
Toni Williams
Olney, Md./Sherwood High School
Notes: Competed for Hills Gymnastics for 13 years … earned Level 9 Most Outstanding Gymnast … was on the Maryland Level 10 state team … competed at USAG Level 10 JO Nationals in 2016 … took home the "Hill's Angels Among Us" Award in 2017 … placed fourth on uneven bars at 2015 Nationals … took first on both vault and uneven bars at the 2015 Regionals, while finishing second on floor exercise … qualified for 2014 NIT meet … earned second on uneven bars and third all-around at the 2013 Eastern Championships … competed on the Sherwood gymnastics team for four years … a two-time captain and three-time MVP … named All-America on all four events … named to Washington Post All-Met Team four times … the 2017 county champion for all four events and all-around in 2017 … also a member of Sherwood varsity cheer for two years … earned honor roll status all four years of high school … part of Minds in Motion for four years … also swam for the Olney Mill Otters during 12 summers … daughter of Dominique D'Anna and Dylan LeBlanc … has a younger sister, Evie, and a younger brother, Michael … intends to major in biology.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding women's gymnastics, follow the program on Twitter (@RUGymnastics), Facebook (/RUGymnastics), Instagram (@rutgersgymnastics) and Snapchat (rutgersgym).
"I am really excited to welcome these seven exceptionally talented and intelligent student-athletes to our gymnastics family," head coach Louis Levine said. "This group is a great balance of power and finesse that will add to the strength of our lineups on all four events."
Sophia Atienza
Copley, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit High School
Notes: Competed for Pinnacle Gymnastics for 14 years … placed fifth on vault and sixth on floor exercise at the 2017 Level 10 Regionals … earned third place on vault in 2017 and took second on vault and fifth on floor exercise in 2016 at the Level 10 Ohio meet … won all-around, on vault and on floor at the 2017 Arnold Gymnastics Challenge … claimed the Level 10 Ohio state championship on vault in 2015 … also ranked second on floor exercise at both the 2014 Level 9 Eastern Nationals and Ohio meet … earned State Board of Education diploma with Honors and the 2017 Kari McCloskey Memorial Scholarship … daughter of Cristina and Allan Atienza … mother played volleyball at Baldwin Wallace and father wrestled at Case Western Reserve … has a younger sister, Julia, who is a club gymnast … cousins, Jordan and Nathan, wrestle at Central Michigan and Michigan State, respectively … intends to major in public health.
Emily Drauss
Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley High School
Notes: Competed for Brandy Johnson's Global Gymnastics Academy for nine years … participated as USAG gymnast for 12 years … claimed third on uneven bars, second on balance beam and third all-around at the 2017 Level 10 Florida state championships … recorded a fourth-place finish on balance beam at the 2017 Level 10 Region 8 Championships … placed fourth on uneven bars at the 2016 Level 10 Florida state competition … earned second on uneven bars, third on vault and fourth all-around at the 2015 Level 10 Florida championships … also took fifth on beam at Level 10 Regionals and qualified for the 2015 Junior Olympic NIT … won first place on balance beam at 2013 Level 10 Florida states, while earning silver on uneven bars … competed at the 2013 Junior Olympic NIT with a fifth-place finish all-around, fourth on uneven bars and fifth on balance beam … a member of the National Honor Society … an AP Scholar with Honors … picked up the Principal's 4.0 Award all four years … graduated summa cum laude … daughter of Sue and John Drauss … has an older brother, Geoffrey Vargish … intends to major in engineering.
Shannon Farrell
Atlantic Highlands, N.J./Henry Hudson Regional High School/University of Arizona
Notes: Spent the 2016-17 season at the University of Arizona … competed 18 years for Rebound Gymnastics … qualified five times for Level 10 Regionals … claimed the Level 10 floor exercise national championship and the Level 9 uneven bars state championship … high school graduating class only included 36 students … daughter of Robert and Diane Farrell, who are both gymnastics coaches … sister, Tiffany, also a coach, was a member of the USA National Team and competed at Arizona … also has two brothers.
Belle Huang
Gaithersburg, Md./Tuscarora High School
Notes: Competed for Excellence Gym Sports (EGS) for 13 years … won the national championship on balance beam at the 2017 Junior Olympic Nationals held in Indianapolis … also placed sixth all-around at the competition … finished third at the 2017 Maryland Level 10 State Championship … placed 25th all-around and ninth on floor exercise at the 2016 Junior Olympic Nationals … qualified five times (2012-16) at Level 10 Regionals with a second-place finish on balance beam in 2016, adding fourth on floor exercise and seventh all-around … earned fourth on uneven bars in 2015 and fourth on balance beam in 2012 … took first all-around and on floor exercise in fifth appearance at 2016 Level 10 Maryland state competition, while being second on balance beam and third on both uneven bars and vault … finished first on uneven bars, second on floor exercise and third all-around in same meet in 2015 … earned first at state meet all-around and on balance beam in 2012 … notched first on uneven bars and floor exercise, second on balance beam and third all-around at the 2010 Level 8 Maryland championships … started gymnastics at the age of three … finished fifth in graduating class after earning a 4.71 GPA … recorded straight A's throughout high school to collect honor roll recognition each semester … daughter of Irving Huang and Sunny Chou.
Rachel Ley
Trophy Club, Texas/Byron Nelson High School/University of Missouri
Notes: Spent the 2016-17 season at the University of Missouri … previously competed for Top Flight Gymnastics … won multiple state and regional titles throughout Level 10 career … claimed the balance beam title at the 2014 Zenith Classic Invitational … placed 10th in the all-around at the 2013 JO National Invitational Tournament … won the 2011 and 2012 Region 9 Championships … finished fourth in the all-around at the 2011 Western Championships … boasted best Level 10 scores of 37.725 in the all-around, 9.450 on vault, 9.650 on bars, 9.375 on beam and 9.500 on floor … a member of the National Honor Society … served as the student council chairman and as a class officer … daughter of David and Judy Ley … has a younger sister, Ashley … intends to major in public health.
Hannah Prieto
Westfield, N.J./Westfield High School
Notes: Competed for Surgent's Elite School of Gymnastics from 2008-2017 … earned 2017 JOGA state championships on balance beam, while placing second all-around, second on floor exercise and third on vault … picked up the JOGA all-around state championship in 2016 … a four-year letterwinner on the Westfield gymnastics team … served as team captain as a senior … recorded the 2016 county championship on balance beam and placed third on floor exercise … member of the National Honor Society … a four-year distinguished honor roll student … registered the President's Award of Academic Achievement and winner of the Breakthrough Wellness Center Scholarship Essay Contest in 2016 … daughter of Shari Cohen and Tony Prieto … has two younger brothers, Cooper and Charlie … intends to major in psychology.
Toni Williams
Olney, Md./Sherwood High School
Notes: Competed for Hills Gymnastics for 13 years … earned Level 9 Most Outstanding Gymnast … was on the Maryland Level 10 state team … competed at USAG Level 10 JO Nationals in 2016 … took home the "Hill's Angels Among Us" Award in 2017 … placed fourth on uneven bars at 2015 Nationals … took first on both vault and uneven bars at the 2015 Regionals, while finishing second on floor exercise … qualified for 2014 NIT meet … earned second on uneven bars and third all-around at the 2013 Eastern Championships … competed on the Sherwood gymnastics team for four years … a two-time captain and three-time MVP … named All-America on all four events … named to Washington Post All-Met Team four times … the 2017 county champion for all four events and all-around in 2017 … also a member of Sherwood varsity cheer for two years … earned honor roll status all four years of high school … part of Minds in Motion for four years … also swam for the Olney Mill Otters during 12 summers … daughter of Dominique D'Anna and Dylan LeBlanc … has a younger sister, Evie, and a younger brother, Michael … intends to major in biology.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding women's gymnastics, follow the program on Twitter (@RUGymnastics), Facebook (/RUGymnastics), Instagram (@rutgersgymnastics) and Snapchat (rutgersgym).
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