INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., July 29, 2011 - Defending U.S. all-around champion Rebecca Bross of Plano, Texas, who is also the 2010 World all-around bronze medalist, and 2010 U.S. and World vault champion Alicia Sacramone of Winchester, Mass., headline the women's field for the 2011 Visa Championships, Aug. 17-20, in Saint Paul, Minn. The 50-gymnast field, which features both veterans and rising stars in the junior and senior divisions, also includes 2011 AT&T American Cup champion Jordyn Wieber of DeWitt, Mich., and 2011 CoverGirl Classic all-around champion Alexandra Raisman of Needham, Mass. Performances at the Visa Championships will determine the members of the 2011 U.S. Women's Junior and Senior National Teams, as well as the 2011 U.S. champions.

 

This past weekend's CoverGirl Classic set the stage for a very competitive Visa Championships.  Raisman, who trains at Brestyan's American Gymnastics and was a member of the silver-medal 2010 World Championships Team, increased the difficulty in her floor routine and executed a Yurchenko two-and-a-half on vault to win the all-around title.  Sacramone, who also trains at Brestyan's and was a 2008 Olympic team silver medalist, tied for first on both vault and balance beam, as well as gave a dramatic performance in her first floor exercise routine since the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.  Wieber, who trains at Gedderts' Twistars USA, won the uneven bars and tied with Sacramone for top honors on the balance beam.

 

2008 Olympic team silver-medalist and 2005 World all-around champion Chellsie Memmel of West Allis, Wis./M&M Gymnastics, made an impressive return to competition on the national stage.  She finished second in the all-around, just 0.300 behind Raisman.

 

The efforts of two former collegiate standouts at the CoverGirl Classic qualified them to the Visa Championships - Anna Li of Naperville, Ill./Legacy Elite, who competed for UCLA; and Casey Jo Magee of Eugene, Ore./Capital Gymnastics, who competed for the University of Arkansas. Mackenzie Caquatto of Naperville, Ill./Legacy Elite, who is a current member of the senior national team and just completed her first year as a member of the University of Florida's team, also participated in the CoverGirl Classic.  2008 Olympic balance beam champion Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow's Gymnastics, successfully petitioned to the Visa Championships.

 

The members of the senior national team who are expected to compete are: Bross, who trains at WOGA; Bridgette Caquatto of Naperville., Ill./Legacy Elite; Mackenzie Caquatto; Gabrielle Douglas of Virginia Beach, Va./Chow's Gymnastics; Amanda Jetter of Milford, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics; Johnson; McKayla Maroney of Laguna Niguel, Calif./All-Olympia Gymnastics; Raisman; Sacramone; Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp's Gymnastics; Sabrina Vega of Carmel, N.Y./Dynamic Gymnastics; Wieber; and McKenzie Wofford of McKinney, Texas/Zenith Elite Gymnastics Academy.

 

Leading the junior division will be 2010 U.S. junior all-around champion Kyla Ross of Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max Gymnastics, who also won the junior all-around title at the 2011 CoverGirl Classic.  Joining Ross is an impressive junior field are several of her junior national teammates: Kennedy Baker of Flower Mound, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics; Brenna Dowell of Odessa, Mo./GAGE; Ericha Fassbender of Katy, Texas/Stars Gymnastics Training Center-Houston; Sarah Finnegan of St. Louis, Mo./GAGE; Ariana Guerra of League City, Texas/Stars Gymnastics Training Center-Houston; Madison Kocian of Dallas/WOGA; Katelyn Ohashi of Newcastle, Wash./WOGA; Elizabeth Price of Coopersburg, Pa./Parkettes; and Lexie Priessman of Cincinnati/Cincinnati Gymnastics.

 

The field breaks down into 28 juniors and 22 seniors, representing 19 states.

 

The 2011 Visa Championships, USA Gymnastics' national championships, features the country's best gymnasts vying for national titles and spots on the U.S. National Team in men's, women's and rhythmic gymnastics. NBC Sports and Universal Sports will broadcast and webcast the action from the men's and women's gymnastics competitions. 

 

Men's and women's gymnastics will be held at Xcel Energy Center, Aug. 17-20, and rhythmic gymnastics will be at Roy Wilkins Auditorium Aug. 19-20. Tickets for the four-day event are on sale now, with individual session tickets, as well as multi- and all-session ticket packages.  Tickets may be purchased at the Xcel Energy Center Box Office, Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by phone at 800-745-3000, and online at www.ticketmaster.com. In recognition of Visa's sponsorship, USA Gymnastics is proud to accept only Visa at the 2011 Visa Championships, along with cash. For ticket and event information, go to www.usagym.org/visa.

 

 

Women's field for the 2011 Visa Championships

Listed by alphabetically by state, with competition division indicated

As of July 29; subject to change

 

Arizona

Mykayla Skinner, Gilbert, Ariz./Desert Lights Gymnastics, junior

 

California

McKayla Maroney, Laguna Niguel, Calif./All Olympia AOGC, senior

Mary Maxwell, Elk Grove, Calif./Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

Hallie Mossett, Los Angeles, Calif./West Coast Elite Gymnastics, senior

Kyla Ross, Aliso Viejo, Calif./Gym-Max Gymnastics, junior

 

Colorado

Brandie Jay, Ft. Collins, Colo./GK Gymnastics, senior

Polina Shchennikova, Colorado Springs, Colo./The International Gymnastics Academy of the Rockies, junior

 

Florida

Lauren Marinez, Orlando, Fla./Orlando Metro Gymnastics, junior

 

Illinois

Bridgette Caquatto, Naperville, Ill./Legacy Elite Gymnastics LLC, senior

Mackenzie Caquatto, Naperville, Ill./Legacy Elite Gymnastics LLC, senior

Anna Li, Aurora, Ill./Legacy Elite Gymnastics LLC, senior

 

Indiana

Bridget Sloan, Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp's Gymnastics Academy, senior

 

Iowa

Shawn Johnson, West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute, senior

 

Kansas

Madison Desch, Lenexa, Kan./Great American Gymnastics Express, junior

 

Massachusetts

Alexandra Raisman, Needham, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics, senior

Alicia Sacramone, Winchester, Mass./Brestyan's American Gymnastics, senior

 

Michigan

Jordyn Wieber, DeWitt, Mich./Gedderts' Twistars USA, senior

 

Minnesota

Jessie DeZiel, Rogers, Minn./Twin City Twisters, senior

Maggie Nichols, Little Canada, Minn./Twin City Twisters, junior

 

Missouri

Brenna Dowell, Odessa, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express, junior

Sarah Finnegan, St. Louis, Mo./Great American Gymnastics Express, junior

 

New York

Sabrina Vega, Carmel, N.Y./Dynamic Gymnastics, senior

 

Ohio

Brianna Brown, West Chester, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, junior

Amelia Hundley, Hamilton, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, junior

Amanda Jetter, Milford, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, senior

Lexie Priessman, Cincinnati, Ohio/Cincinnati Gymnastics, junior

 

Oregon

Casey Magee, Eugene, Ore./Capital Gymnastics Super Center, senior

 

Pennsylvania

Elizabeth Price, Coopersburg, Pa./Parkettes National Gymnastics Center, junior

Meredith Sylvia, Macungie, Pa./Parkettes National Gymnastics Center, junior

 

Texas

Kennedy Baker, Flower Mound, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

Simone  Biles, Spring, Texas/Bannon's Gymnastix Inc., junior

Mackenzie Brannan, Austin, Texas/Capital Gymnastics Super Center, junior

Rebecca Bross, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, senior

Peyton Ernst, Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

Ericha Fassbender, Katy, Texas/Stars Gymnastics Training Center-Houston, junior

Ariana Guerra, League City, Texas/Stars Gymnastics Training Center-Houston, junior

Jessica Howe, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, senior

Veronica Hults, Allen, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

Bailie Key, Coppell, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

Madison Kocian, Dallas, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, junior

Sophia Lee, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, senior

Grace McLaughlin, Allen, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, senior

Abigail Milliet, Denton, Texas/Denton Gymnastics Academy, junior

Katelyn Ohashi, Plano, Texas/WOGA Gymnastics, junior

Samantha Partyka, Katy, Texas/Champions Gymnastics, junior

Macy Toronjo, Huntsville, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

Kiana Winston, Fort Worth, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, junior

McKenzie Wofford, McKinney, Texas/Zenith Elite Gymnastics Academy, senior

 

Virginia

Gabrielle Douglas, Virginia Beach, Va./Chow's Gymnastics and Dance Institute, senior

 

Wisconsin

Chellsie Memmel, West Allis, Wis./M and M Gymnastics, senior