Gymnastics Announces Five-Member Class of 2020
8/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Brown University gymnastics will welcome five student-athletes to the program for the 2016-17 season as part of the Class of 2020, joining a group which set an Ivy record for team score last season, head coach Sara Carver-Milne announced on Monday.
The group comprises student-athletes from coast to coast with one newcomer each hailing from the states of California, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Texas, and Washington. Five different club programs are represented in the quintet.
The incoming class includes Anne Christman (Amherst, N.H.), Erin Howell (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.), Diana Manzano (New Braunfels, Texas), Ally Rudd (Olympia, Wash.), and Emma Shapland (Los Angeles, Calif.).
Anne Christman
Hometown: Amherst, N.H.
High School: K12 International Academy
Club: Atlantic Gymnastics Training Center
Prep Accolades: Qualified for the Junior Olympics National Championships and the Level 10 Region 6 Championships in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 … Won three Level 10 New Hampshire state all-around titles … Placed first at the Level 10 New Hampshire state championships on bars, beam, and floor and in the all-around in 2015 and 2016 … Finished third on vault and beam and in the all-around at the 2015 Region 6 Level 10 Championships … Performed for coaches Matthew Yellis, Allison Brisson, and Cori Cunningham at Atlantic Gymnastics Training Center … Earned the New Hampshire State USAG Senior Scholarship Award.
Why Brown? "I love Brown's focus on providing students with opportunities to pursue their passions. To me, this means exploring the open curriculum and continuing my gymnastics career at the Division I level. Brown's welcoming, motivated community, including its competitive, good-natured gymnastics team, makes me feel right at home."
Erin Howell
Hometown: Egg Harbor Township, N.J.
High School: Egg Harbor Township
Club: Atlantic Coast Gymnastics
Prep Accolades: Set Level 10 personal bests of 9.85 on vault, 9.4 on bars, 9.4 on beam, and 9.4 on floor … Qualified for Regionals as a senior … Qualified for NIT Nationals as a junior, finishing second on bars, fourth on beam, and seventh in the all-around … Won a Level 9 regional bar title in 2014 … Qualified for Eastern Nationals as a sophomore, placing third in the bars and fourth in the all-around … Performed for coaches Joe Catrambone and Darlene Blank at Atlantic Coast Gymnastics … National Honor Society member.
Why Brown? "Brown offers the unique combination of academics and athletics that I was looking for in a school. The gymnastics team excels both in the gym and in the classroom, something I look forward to being a part of. I know that Brown can provide countless opportunities to have a great college experience and the skills necessary to succeed in life."
Diana Manzano
Hometown: New Braunfels, Texas
High School: New Braunfels
Club: J&R Gymnastics
Prep Accolades: Earned a spot as a Level 10 Nationals Alternate in 2016 … Qualified for Level 10 Regionals in 2015 … Won a Region 3 Level 9 beam title in 2013 … Competed on the club level for J&R Gymnastics, serving as team co-captain in 2016 … Performed for coaches Karen Medellin and Jordan Kolhoff … A National Merit Commended Student, AP Scholar with Honor, and member of National Honor Society.
Why Brown? "I've found wonderfully inviting staff and students and an attractive engineering program."
Ally Rudd
Hometown: Olympia, Wash.
High School: Capital
Club: Black Hills Gymnastics
Prep Accolades: Qualified seven times for regionals and five times for nationals … Earned Black Hills Gymnastics Gymnast of the Year honors in 2012 and 2013 … Garnered a regional all-around title in 2012 … Placed 13th in the all-around and eighth in the vault at Western Nationals in 2013 … Performed for coach Dave Pisano at Black Hills Gymnastics … Ranked first in her class at Capital High School.
Why Brown? "Academics were my priority when looking at schools. Brown gymnastics offered the perfect opportunity to combine athletics with a great education."
Emma Shapland
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
High School: Marymount
Club: All Olympia Gymnastics Center
Prep Accolades: Qualified for the Level 10 Regionals … Earned a spot at the Western National Championships … Placed fourth in the Level 9 state competition and qualified for Regionals … Performed for coaches Galina Marinova, Ivan Ivanov, and Artur Akopyan at All Olympia Gymnastics Center … Won a Chemistry Achievement Award at Marymount.
Why Brown? "I chose Brown because it's a great school and because of its open curriculum, which gives a student freedom in planning his/her academic career. I also chose Brown because of its gymnastics team."
