Although their 2005 campaign has not yet started, the Illinois State gymnastics team planed for the future by signing two gymnasts for the 2006 season. Mary Hankosky and Meaghan Koshman are the newest additions to the Redbird squad as they signed their commitment to continue their athletic and academic careers at Illinois State.
Head coach Kristin Montero announced the signing of the pair to the gymnastics program after they signed national letters of intent.
Hailing from New Lenox, Ill., Hankosky has been competing in gymnastics for 10 years. She currently competes with the Gym-Kinetics Club, coached by Jim Fredrickson. An accomplished gymnast, she was awarded third place on the bars at the 2001 state competition. Additionally, Hankosky was named as having the best bars routine and being the hardest working athlete for six years in a row, as voted by her teammates.
Fredrickson expects Hankosky to contribute immediately for the Redbirds.
Mary is a great bar swinger, said Fredrickson. She will be a great addition to the Illinois State team, both as a good example and an exceptional competitor. Mary will make an immediate impact on the Redbird squad.
Hankosky will pursue an education in either education or dentistry at Illinois State.
Koshman, a native of Regina, Saskatchewan, has spent nine years in competitive gymnastics. She has received several awards throughout her career including sixth place on the floor at the Canada Games. She was also awarded gold on the vault and received seventh place at the National Competition in 2000. Koshman currently competes with the Gymnastics Adventure Club, under the direction of Mary Lou Cooke and Sasha Sirenko.
Cooke is confident in Koshmans ability to compete at the collegiate level.
Meaghan would be a great asset to any team, Cooke said. Her passion is gymnasticsMeaghan has incredible body awareness and therefore learns skills very quickly. Given the appropriate training environment, Meaghan will continue to excel at this sport at Illinois State.
Koshman will continue her education at ISU, pursuing a degree in Physiotherapy and Kinesiology.
Anticipating solid competition from the two additions to her roster, Montero looks for the duo to add depth and consistency to the team.
We are thrilled to have signed Meaghan and Mary and look forward to making them part of our family, said Montero. Meaghan will prove to be a strong all-arounder for the Redbirds in 2006. We also anticipate great things from her on vault. Mary will also become a big contributor next season, especially on her specialty, the bars.
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