Jan. 2, 2007

From LSU Athletics

January 2, 2007

For Immediate Release

(www.lsusports.net) - With the return of seven seasoned veterans and the addition of an All-American transfer and five talented freshmen, LSU head coach D-D Breaux believes the 2007 edition of her Tiger gymnastics team can be one of the best in the country.

"I am extremely optimistic," said Breaux on her team's prospects for the upcoming season. "This group has worked really hard. They are determined to maintain a positive team force and to have a positive team culture."

Breaux's hoping that positive team energy will translate to the competitive arena where the Tigers, who have finished among the nation's top-12 22 times in program history, will once again strive to excel at the highest levels - the SEC, Regional and NCAA Championships.

A destiny that Breaux and the team can only hope will lead to another NCAA Championships berth and a spot in the meet's Super Six Finals.

THE SENIORS
Spearheading the Tigers' quest for excellence this season is one of the most talented senior classes in recent history, in All-Americans Kelly Phelan and Lisa Rennie and All-SEC selection Nicki Butler.

"Since this group arrived in Baton Rouge we have relied on them to make huge contributions in every single meet and that won't change," said Breaux of her senior class. "These three know their roles and combine for possibly 10 scores in our lineup. That's a lot, but that's what they expect of themselves. We know we aren't asking them to do anything they aren't willing to deliver."

Phelan headlines the group after winning the NCAA Central Regional all-around title and earning All-America honors on the floor last season.

She competed in the all-around in all 15 of the Tigers' meets a year ago and is expected to do the same again this year.

Also expected to excel in the all-around is Butler. The Virginia Beach, Va., native doesn't have a weak event and after successful summer and fall training periods should be a regular in each event lineup.

"Nicki has really stepped it up for her senior year," said Breaux. "She's worked hard and I think she feels good about what she is doing."

Rennie, a two-time All-American, returns as the group's most decorated athlete. After earning All-America status on the bars for the second straight year, Rennie is once again expected to the anchor the squad on the event. She will also be counted on to contribute on the beam where she has been one of the Tigers' toughest competitors over the last three seasons, earning top 25 national rankings and winning 11 meet titles.

THE JUNIORS
Two proven competitors and an accolade-laden transfer should make this year's three member junior class a dominant force in the competitive arena.

The talented duo of Ashleigh Clare-Kearney and Emily Ellis will finally see the competition floor together as Ellis missed her freshman campaign with an arm injury and Clare-Kearney sat out last season with a foot injury. Both begin the 2007 season healthy and are expected to make substantial contributions to the lineup.

"It seems like they are two big wheels on the cart and for the past two years one of those wheels has fallen off the cart," said Breaux on the pair's alternating season-ending injuries. "These two are a daunting force together. They are strong and physical and do big gymnastics with lots of amplitude. One of them makes a statement, but together they are just in your face and exciting to watch."

As a freshmen, Clare-Kearney turned in one of the most successful inaugural campaigns in recent history, winning 11 individual event titles and an all-around crown in her only four-event appearances of the year. Once again healthy, fit and recovered from last season's foot injury, Clare-Kearney should see action in all four events this season.

"Ashleigh looks great," said Breaux. "She's fit, she's working hard and she wants to be an all-arounder. At her current pace there is no reason she can't be."

In her first full season of competition, Ellis established herself as a mainstay in the Tigers' vault, bars and floor lineups. The Fayette, Ala., native, should again see action in those three events and could also crack the beam lineup this season.

Adding valuable all-around experience to Tigers' lineup will be transfer Kristi Esposito. The Slidell, La. native, comes to LSU as a junior after transferring from Big 12 power Nebraska.

Esposito is a three-time All-American that also earned All-Big 12 honors.

As a freshman she won the Big 12 bars title and followed that with a third-place showing on the beam and a fourth-place finish in the all-around at the 2004 NCAA Championships. She only bettered that effort as sophomore, earning NCAA runner-up honors on the beam.

"Kristi brings a lot of confidence and experience to this team," said Breaux. "She is somebody who has been to the Super Six and proven that she is one of the best NCAA competitors in the country. We hated that she didn't come here her freshmen year, but we are happy to have her for her junior and senior seasons."

THE SOPHOMORES
Returning to the Tiger squad for their sophomore campaigns are Lauren Klein and Amanda Morales.

Klein competed primarily on the floor for the Tigers as freshmen but also saw action on each of the other three events. She's had an impressive off-season and should contend for a spot in each of the lineups, especially on the beam and floor.

"Lauren has had a great summer," said Breaux. "She has upgraded the difficulty in all of her routines and right now she is a standout on the floor and dynamic on beam. I fully expect that we will go to her often on those two events."

Morales will be returning to competition after spending a majority of last season on the sideline following reconstructive surgery on her right ACL. She is training on the vault, bars and beam this season, but will not compete on the floor in order to avoid overuse of her knee during her continued recovery.

"Amanda looks fabulous and is doing great," said Breaux. "With her knee we are trying to bring her around slowly. She looks solid on the beam and extremely tight in what she does on the bars. We will be conservative in the dismounts she performs, but we fully expect her to contend for positions in those lineups."

THE FRESHMEN
Five new faces will be added to the Tigers' mix in 2007, in freshmen Sabrina Franceschelli, Susan Jackson, Summer Hubbard, Yvette Triay and Kayla Rogers.

"This is a very competitive and confident group," said Breaux. "I know we will have some growing pains and some hits and misses, but once they get in the groove and get a taste of what collegiate competition is all about, I think they will come alive."

Franceschelli, a native of Roslindale, Mass., trained as an international elite gymnast for five seasons, before dropping back to Level 10 for her senior year. Breaux believes she has all-around potential in her inaugural campaign.

"Sabrina has elite level skills and elite level presentation when she steps on the floor," said Breaux. "She is a strong all-arounder that is good in every event. I really think that she is going to bring an enhanced level of deepness to our lineup."

Jackson comes to LSU from Spring, Texas, where she also trained as one of the nation's top international elite gymnasts for the past several seasons. She is expected to make an immediate impact on three of the four events.

"Susan is powerful, strong and confident. She is everything an international elite gymnast should be," said Breaux. "Right now we are really counting on her to come in and give us big scores on the bars, beam and floor."

Expected to be an immediate contributor on the bars and beam is Hubbard. Hailing from St. Petersburg, Fla., Hubbard was a top-10 finisher on the bars, beam, floor and in the all-around at the 2006 Level 10 Junior Olympic National Championships.

"Summer is dynamic on the bars. She is clean, tight, quick and has a big dismount. She also does really pretty work on the beam and has a fun floor routine. I see her as someone that is going to step up and give us big scores on the events she is ready for," said Breaux.

Triay, the lone Louisiana native among the freshmen class, will likely provide depth on the bars, beam and floor. A native of Metairie, she is a three-time Level 10 national qualifier that won the Louisiana state all-around titles during both her junior and senior seasons.

"Yvette is like a little heartbeat. Just a real positive heart beat," said Breaux. "She is a great team person. It takes every level of athlete to make a team and she has proven to be a real positive energy force for us."

Rogers is a five-time Level 10 Junior Olympic national qualifier that hails from Liberty, Mo. She is expected to add depth to the Tiger lineups, primarily on the beam and floor.

"Kayla is physical and strong and does very solid work," said Breaux. "She also has great vaulting potential. This is the event that we feel Kayla needs to excel. I think she will be a solid contributor for us on any event."