Gymwomen sign four new recruits

By GWENN MILLER
Collegian Staff Writer

The Penn State women's gymnastics team has its eye on the future, and it is looking bright.

The Lady Lions recently signed four recruits, two of whom are from Pennsylvania. The remaining pair is from Canada. Each recruit seems to possess the talent that can help Penn State carry on its winning tradition.

"This was a pivotal year in terms of recruiting," said Lions head coach Steve Shephard.

He added that the upcoming loss of seniors Missy Leopoldus, Janae Whittaker and Ellen Casey to graduation created a gap in the team that needed to be filled. Whittaker, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament Jan. 16 against UCLA and New Hampshire, may elect to forego a potential fifth year of eligibility and graduate with her fellow senior teammates.

In the four new recruits -- Leslie Bair, Lisa Campagnola, Katie McAvoy and Sara DiPasquale -- Shephard seems to have found the solution to his vacancy problem.

The recruits each have gained international and national competition experience, in fact, there is the possibility that Canada-native McAvoy will compete in the upcoming Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

"She is just a great, great kid and athlete," said Penn State coaching assistant Tracy Rosenfeld of McAvoy. "She's so outgoing and is always asking questions."

McAvoy also is an experienced competitor. In 1997, she competed in the World Championships and finished second at the Canadian World Team Trials. In 1998, she won the all-around at the Gymnix International meet.

Judging by their careers thus far, the other three members of the latest recruiting class are looking to be equally successful at the college level.

Bair, who hails from Lancaster, Pa., finished fourth in the all-around competition of the 1997 Level 10 USAIGC National Championships and was a state and sectional balance beam champion in the 1997 USAG meet. For Bair, the choice to come to Penn State was an easy one.

"I've been up there a lot before and it's familiar," she said. "I liked the girls and the gymnastics program."

Fellow Pennsylvanian DiPasquale also is an experienced gymnast. She is an elite-level athlete who currently trains at Parkettes National Gymnastics Training Center. According to Shephard, the coaching staff's reason for recruiting her was elementary.

"Sarah is an elite-level athlete who trains at an elite-level facility," he said. "We've watched (DiPasquale and Bair) compete and we've been evaluating them since the end of their sophomore year."

DiPasquale's reasons for attending Penn State were equally as simple -- she liked the school's balance of academics and sports.

Campagnola has a connection of sorts with Penn State. Rosenfeld's sister taught the Ontario native her first floor routine and the assistant coach once trained at the same gym where Campagnola currently trains.

Campagnola said what stood out the most about Penn State was its coaching strategies, team spirit and school pride.

While the four future Lions loved every aspect of the school, they were especially pleased with the team spirit and unity.

"Everyone was so positive and the team was like sisters," McAvoy said, describing the close bond between the current Lion teammates.

Added Shephard: "We knew they were good, but we just needed to know if they were interested in us."

Luckily for Penn State, the interest was mutual.