Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eagles Ink Five for 2018 Gymnastics Squad
3/24/2017 11:16:00 AM | Gymnastics
The Green and White signed a strong class of five future Eagles
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Sarah Brown, Head Coach of the Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team, announced Friday, March 24, that five future EMU student-athletes have commited to further their gymnastics careers at Eastern Michigan next year. Joining the Green and White next season will be Megan Benzie (Roanoke, Va. - Cave Spring), Cortney Bezold (Maineville, Ohio - Bishop Fenwick), Cali Harden (Saline, Mich. - Saline), Brianna Price (Kings Mountain, N.C. - Homeschool), and Jada Rondeau (Norwood Young America, Minn. - Central).
Benzie comes to the Eagles from Roanoke, Va., where she competed for Virginia Techniques Gymnastics. There, she was a regional qualifier in both 2015 and 2016, in addition to placing third in the all-around at the 2017 Manhattan Classic. She also played a pivotal role in helping her team to team titles at the 2017 Manhattan Classic and the 2016 Gymstrada Invitational. Finally, Benzie was also the state champion in 2013 as a level eight.
"I knew Megan was a great fit for our program the first time I spoke with her," stated Brown. "She is full of energy and passion for the sport of gymnastics, and she's made huge strides in her senior season. We're looking forward to bringing Megan's positivity and energy to our team this fall."
Bezold will head north from her hometown of Maineville, Ohio, where she was a gymnast at Gym-Nation. Recently, Bezold finished fifth in the all-around at the 2017 Ohio State Championships. Additionally, she also qualified to the 2015 Junior Olympic Nationals, taking ninth on bars. Bezold was named a level 10 NIT qualifier in 2014, in addition to taking home the state title on bars as a level nine.
"Cortney is absolutely beautiful on bars," exclaimed Brown. "She excels in the classroom and has already exemplified what we look for in our current team members. She's overcome injury to pursue her dream of collegiate gymnastics and we're excited to help Cortney reach her athletic potential on the collegiate stage."
Harden is remaining close to home, as she competed for Gym America just down the road in Ann Arbor. She finished as the 2016 Michigan all-around winner, while also taking home titles on vault, bars, and floor. The Saline, Mich. native took second in the all-around and first on floor at the 2016 Region Five Championships, in addition to being crowned the Eastern Nationals champion on floor. Harden is also very successful in the classroom, having been named a four-year honor roll student at Saline High School.
"I'm so glad that Cali has chosen EMU," said Brown. "She is a local athlete who bleeds green and we're excited to have her on the team. Throughout her club career, Cali has excelled on vault and we're looking forward to building on that success in the future."
Price will join the Eagles after growing up in Kings Mountain, N.C. She was a Junior Olympic Nationals qualifier in 2014, 2015, and 2016, finishing 15th in the all-around and 12th on floor at the 2016 national championships. Last season, she also won floor at regionals, in addition to taking third on beam at the North Carolina State Championships. In 2015, she took third in the all-around at the state championships, while also being crowned the 2014 NIT floor champion. She is also an accompished dancer, having been accepted to the Joffrey Ballet Pre-Professional Ballet/Jazz Program.
"Bri will add beauty and grace to the EMU roster," stated Brown. "She has danced for a number years and it really shines through on her beam and floor routines. She has beautiful lines on bars and we're so excited to have her on the team this fall."
Rouding out the five is Rondeau, who will come to Ypsilanti after competing for Legacy Gymnastics in Minnesota. Rondeau has a pair of top-10 national finishes to her name, having placed 10th and eighth on vault at the 2016 and 2015 Junior Olympics Nationals, respectively. At the 2016 Level 10 Regional Championships, she took first in the all-around and beam, second on floor, and third on vault and bars, The 2016 Minnesota State Championships saw Rondeau take second in the all-around and third on vault and floor.
"I've known Jada for a number of years, and it's been a pleasure watching her gymnastics develop on all four events," said Brown. "She's a strong gymnast and I expect she will be a consistent contributor on multiple events for EMU."
Brown and the Eagles will head to Champaign, Ill. for NCAA Regionals next week, Saturday, April 1, marking the second time in program history that the Green and White have qualified as a team. Action from the State Farm Center is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
Benzie comes to the Eagles from Roanoke, Va., where she competed for Virginia Techniques Gymnastics. There, she was a regional qualifier in both 2015 and 2016, in addition to placing third in the all-around at the 2017 Manhattan Classic. She also played a pivotal role in helping her team to team titles at the 2017 Manhattan Classic and the 2016 Gymstrada Invitational. Finally, Benzie was also the state champion in 2013 as a level eight.
"I knew Megan was a great fit for our program the first time I spoke with her," stated Brown. "She is full of energy and passion for the sport of gymnastics, and she's made huge strides in her senior season. We're looking forward to bringing Megan's positivity and energy to our team this fall."
Bezold will head north from her hometown of Maineville, Ohio, where she was a gymnast at Gym-Nation. Recently, Bezold finished fifth in the all-around at the 2017 Ohio State Championships. Additionally, she also qualified to the 2015 Junior Olympic Nationals, taking ninth on bars. Bezold was named a level 10 NIT qualifier in 2014, in addition to taking home the state title on bars as a level nine.
"Cortney is absolutely beautiful on bars," exclaimed Brown. "She excels in the classroom and has already exemplified what we look for in our current team members. She's overcome injury to pursue her dream of collegiate gymnastics and we're excited to help Cortney reach her athletic potential on the collegiate stage."
Harden is remaining close to home, as she competed for Gym America just down the road in Ann Arbor. She finished as the 2016 Michigan all-around winner, while also taking home titles on vault, bars, and floor. The Saline, Mich. native took second in the all-around and first on floor at the 2016 Region Five Championships, in addition to being crowned the Eastern Nationals champion on floor. Harden is also very successful in the classroom, having been named a four-year honor roll student at Saline High School.
"I'm so glad that Cali has chosen EMU," said Brown. "She is a local athlete who bleeds green and we're excited to have her on the team. Throughout her club career, Cali has excelled on vault and we're looking forward to building on that success in the future."
Price will join the Eagles after growing up in Kings Mountain, N.C. She was a Junior Olympic Nationals qualifier in 2014, 2015, and 2016, finishing 15th in the all-around and 12th on floor at the 2016 national championships. Last season, she also won floor at regionals, in addition to taking third on beam at the North Carolina State Championships. In 2015, she took third in the all-around at the state championships, while also being crowned the 2014 NIT floor champion. She is also an accompished dancer, having been accepted to the Joffrey Ballet Pre-Professional Ballet/Jazz Program.
"Bri will add beauty and grace to the EMU roster," stated Brown. "She has danced for a number years and it really shines through on her beam and floor routines. She has beautiful lines on bars and we're so excited to have her on the team this fall."
Rouding out the five is Rondeau, who will come to Ypsilanti after competing for Legacy Gymnastics in Minnesota. Rondeau has a pair of top-10 national finishes to her name, having placed 10th and eighth on vault at the 2016 and 2015 Junior Olympics Nationals, respectively. At the 2016 Level 10 Regional Championships, she took first in the all-around and beam, second on floor, and third on vault and bars, The 2016 Minnesota State Championships saw Rondeau take second in the all-around and third on vault and floor.
"I've known Jada for a number of years, and it's been a pleasure watching her gymnastics develop on all four events," said Brown. "She's a strong gymnast and I expect she will be a consistent contributor on multiple events for EMU."
Brown and the Eagles will head to Champaign, Ill. for NCAA Regionals next week, Saturday, April 1, marking the second time in program history that the Green and White have qualified as a team. Action from the State Farm Center is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.
Cinematic Highlights: MAC Gymnastics Championships
Sunday, March 23
Cinematic Highlights: Gymnastics vs WMU + Wilberforce
Friday, February 28
Cinematic Highlights: Gymnastics vs. Kent State
Tuesday, January 28
Cinematics Highlights: Gymnastics Golden Girls Classic
Saturday, January 18