Nov. 12, 2009

Signing Day Photo Gallery 

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Four talented recruits have signed national letters of intent to join head coach Rob Drass and the Missouri Tigers as freshman in fall of 2010. The signees, Cathryn Aliceaacosta, Taylor Medrea, Brittani Price and Katelyn Trevino, were recruited by Drass along with associate coach and recruiting coordinator John Figueroa and are all expected to bring their own individual talents to the Mizzou squad.

"We are really excited about our 2010 class," Drass said. "All four of them bring the whole package. Academically, they are great students, and athletically, they are great gymnasts. They have outstanding character, drive and ambition."

Cathryn Aliceaacosta: Aliceaacosta will join the Tigers from training at Cypress Academy in Houston under Terry Walker (the same gym as current sophomore Allie Heizelman). She qualified for Level 10 Nationals in 2004 and placed third on the floor at the 2009 NIT. Her personal bests include 9.725 on vault, 9.325 on bars, 9.55 on beam, 9.625 on floor and 37.2 in the all-around.

"I chose Mizzou over other schools because of the team atmosphere," Aliceaacosta said. "They really made me feel welcome and wanted. Having a former teammate on the Mizzou team was also a plus. The coaching staff, the university's commitment to the gymnastics team and the academic opportunities were also very critical in my decision."

"Cathryn is a good all-arounder," Drass said. "We feel her strengths are on vault, beam and floor. We look for her to make an immediate impact on those events for us."

Watch video of Aliceaacosta

Taylor Medrea: Medrea will make her way to Mizzou from Britton, Michigan, where she trains at Michigan Elite Gymnastics Academy under the direction of Kim Tanskanen. Medrea found success early when she won the Level 9 state vault, bar and all-around title in 2004. She followed that by winning both the state and Region V Level 10 bar titles the next year. That same year she traveled to compete in El Salvador as a member of the Region V All-Star Team. In 2006, she repeated as the Level 10 state bar champion and captured the floor title as well. In 2007, she recaptured the Level 10 regional bars title and tied for 11^th in the all-around at nationals. Most recently, she took home the state floor championship and placed fourth in the all-around. Medrea is a three-time Level 10 national qualifier and owns personal bests of 9.5 on vault, 9.875 on bars, 9.5 on beam, 9.675 on floor and 37.675 in the all-around.

"I chose Mizzou because when I was there, everything just clicked," Medrea said. "They offered the academics I was looking for. I felt at home with the coaches, the campus and the gymnastics team. Mizzou had everything and more for me to continue my career as a gymnast and as a student. I felt welcomed and wanted when I was there for each of my visits. I'm so excited to be a Mizzou Tiger!" 

In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Medrea also stands out in the classroom at Britton-Macon High School. She currently holds a 3.95 GPA and is ranked first in her graduating class. Medrea is a member of her school's chapter of National Honor Society (she served as President last year), a member of Decca and has been on the Principal's Honor Roll the past three straight years. She helps out in her local community as well with Toys for Tots and as a Red Cross Blood Drive Leader.

"Taylor is already one of the best bar swingers in the country," Drass said. "She is a great student and has great strength, determination and desire. Taylor is strong on all four events and can challenge for an all-around spot on the team."

Watch video of Medrea

Brittani Price: Price will come from New Lennox, Ill., where she currently trains at United Gymnastics Academy in Frankfort, Ill., under Glen Willmeng. She finished in the top 20 at nationals in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Price was a member of her region's 2008 All-Star Team, which competed in Costa Rica. She holds career highs of 9.775 on vault, 9.6 on bars, 9.5 on beam, 9.6 on floor and 37.9 in the all-around.

"I chose Mizzou because the minute I stepped on campus I felt at home and knew I belonged here," Price said. "I really connected with the coaches and loved the team. I feel it will be an honor to be a Tiger. Not only will I have the chance to compete for one of the best Big 12 schools but I will also be getting a great education."

Price currently attends Lincoln-Way Central High School in her hometown of New Lennox, Ill., where she has been on the Honor Roll since her sophomore year.

"We are very excited to have Brittani," Drass said. "She has placed in the top 20 at nationals the past few years and doesn't have a weak event. She can come in and make a great impact on all four events. She obviously has a history of performing great at the national level. We expect great things from her in the future."

Watch video of Price

Katelyn Trevino: Trevino, an Ovilla, Texas, native trains under her parents, Rich and Marilyn Trevino, at Trevino's Gymnastics School. She took the regional vault title home on her way to qualifying for nationals this year. At nationals Trevino placed third on floor and ninth on vault. Her personal bests included 9.816 on vault, 9.5 on bars, 9.65 on beam and 9.575 on floor.

"When I went on my first visit to Mizzou as a junior, I just knew it was the right school for me," Trevino said. "I loved everything from the campus, to the girls on the team and the whole coaching staff. I went on other visits to other colleges and none of them lived up to Mizzou!"

Trevino is a senior at Midlothian High School in Midlothian, Texas. She is a member of National Honor Society and has never allowed her (weighted) GPA to drop below a 4.8.

"We really feel like Katelyn is a diamond in the rough," Drass said. "She is a great person and has a great work ethic. We feel like vault, beam and floor are her best events. She is just realizing her potential as a gymnast and has a great future ahead of her."

Watch video of Trevino

"We look forward to these girls making an immediate impact on our team," Drass said. "I really think they all represent the core values of the university."