Nov. 26, 2007
NORMAL, Ill -
The Illinois State women's gymnastics team signed two student-athletes who will join the team, beginning with the 2008-09 season. Melissa Mann (North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada/Sentinel Secondary School) and Stacey Rowley (New Albany, Ind./New Albany High School) are the newest members of the Redbird gymnastics team.
ISU head women's gymnastics coach Bob Conkling is excited to work with the new recruits and has high expectations for the newest Redbirds once they join the team in the fall 2008.
"Both of these athletes are good all-around gymnasts with strengths that will give us some depth on each event," said Conkling. "Both show a continued passion for improving their gymnastics, and they still enjoy the process of going to the gym each day and training hard."
A native of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Mann graduated from Sentinel Secondary School in May 2007, but took a year off before college to devote her time to training for the Elite Canada trials. If Mann makes the Elite Canada team, she will compete at the Elite Canada Gymnastics Meet in December. She is a member of the Flicka Gymnastics Club, the same club as current Illinois State gymnast Cheryl Berezan. Mann's role for the Redbirds will be to earn points for the team on the balance beam and vault. She is the daughter of Jim and Pamela Mann and plans to study medical and biological sciences.
Rowley, a native of New Albany, Ind., is a senior at New Albany High School. Rowley trains at South Indiana Gymnastics School (SIGS), the same club where former Illinois State gymnast Whitney Albright trained. Rowley is a powerful performer on both the floor and vault, and will be looked upon to will help the team in those two events. She is the daughter of Jeffrey and Trina Rowley and her major is undecided.
"The great thing about both of these athletes is they come from gymnastics programs that ISU has had the pleasure of recruiting from before," said Conkling. "With the knowledge of the incredible work ethic that Cheryl (Berezan) and Whitney (Albright) have, it made my decision easier when it came to recruiting Melissa (Mann) and Stacey (Rowley)."
