Alabama Gymnastics Inks Three to National Letter of Intent
11/20/2003 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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The Crimson Tide inked Terin Humphrey, Mindy Weber and Kaitlin White to national letters of intent.
“We are absolutely thrilled by this class,” Patterson said. “Not only are they all tremendous athletes, but they are strong students who will be positive members of this program. There were a lot of talented gymnasts in this year’s recruiting class, but these three young ladies were at the very top of our wish list. I think it says a lot about our program and the University that each of these young women committed to us immediately after visiting campus. They were all courted by the nation’s top programs and we are very excited that they chose to join the Alabama family.”
All three student-athletes are “A” students as well as top flight gymnasts. Patterson said her excitement about them came not just from their ability in the gym.
“These ladies come from great families, are great students as well as tremendous athletes, but most importantly to us, they are awesome people,” Patterson said. “These are the type of student-athletes who can help us win NCAA Championships. One of the strengths of this particular class is that none of them have a weak event. All three could go in the all-around during their career.”
Humphrey and White are on track to compete at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials with Humphrey considered one of the favorites to make the team as a member of the gold medal 2003 World Championship team. Humphrey and White have twice competed together internationally, helping lead the United States to a gold medal at the U.S. vs. France meet in St. Etienne, France.
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“Kaitlin is a tremendous athlete who was at the top of everyone’s wish list,” Patterson said. “What really drew us to her was her personality. She came from a gym that had five elite gymnasts sign scholarships this year, and it was evident when you watched her in a group setting, that she was a leader.”
Humphrey, a native of Bates City, Mo., trains under Al Fong and Armine Barutyan at Great American Gymnastics Express, the same gym that produced Alabama All-Americans Kim Masters, Marna Nebauer and Gwen Spidle. A four-year member of the U.S. National Team, she helped lead the United States to its first ever team gold at the 2003 World Championships. She has competed internationally for the United States a dozen times, winning the all-around at the 2000 USA vs. France dual meet and the floor exercise at the 2002 GYMNIX meet in Montreal. Humphrey finished sixth in the all-around at the 2003 U.S. National Championships after taking seventh in 2002. She was second in the all-around at the 2000 U.S. championships. A straight “A” student at Odessa High School, she is the daughter of Steve and Lisa Humphrey.
“Every athlete that we have had come to Alabama from Al Fong’s gym has won an NCAA Championship while she was here,” Patterson said. “That’s a trend we hope to continue with Terin.”
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“Mindy came on an ‘unofficial’ visit to campus last April and called after she returned home to tell us she was committing,” Patterson said. “We couldn’t have been more thrilled to have one of our top choices make that kind of statement before her senior year even started.”
While the Tide’s three signees will have to wait until January of 2005 to don the crimson and white, the current Alabama squad opens the 2004 season Friday, January 9th with the Super Six Challenge in Coleman Coliseum. For ticket information, contact the Alabama Ticket Office at 205.348.2262.
