Temple University Athletics
Murphy Recruits Five Gymnasts For 2013 Season
9.5.12 | Women's Gymnastics
PHILADELPHIA— Coming off a season in which his team set a program-best meet score and claimed third place at the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships, seven-year women's gymnastics' head coach Aaron Murphy has bolstered his 2013 squad by adding five freshmen including: Tara Kilkenny (Old Bethpage, N.Y./Saint Anthony's), Reagan Oliveri (Mantua, N.J./Clearview Regional), Hannah Popper (Coppell, Texas/Coppell), Danielle Vahala (Mt. Pleasant, S.C./Coastal Christian Preparatory) and Mary Kate Walch (Cranford, N.J./Cranford).
Making her way from Old Bethpage, N.Y., Kilkenny trained at New Image Gymnastics Academy, where she placed first on balance beam in the 2011 Regional competition, as well as eighth in the all-around to qualify her for Level 10 Nationals. Among all the exercises she competes, she mostly enjoys performing on the balance beam.
Oliveri, also a resident of the state of New Jersey—Mantua—trained at Cherry Hill Gymnastics. While there, she was a two-time Level 10 Regional qualifier. The graduate of Clearview Regional High School enjoys participating in the floor exercise the most.
Hailing from Coppell, Texas, Popper developed a passion for performing on uneven bars while training at Top Flights Gymnastics. Prior to arriving to Temple, she finished second on uneven bars in the Eastern National competition in 2010, as well as 12th in the all-around as a Level 9 gymnast.
Vahala, another avid floor exercise performer, comes from Mt. Pleasant, S.C., where she attended Coastal Christian Preparatory School. Before arriving to Temple, she became a 2012 Level 10 Regional Qualifier, placed second on beam in the 2011 Level 9 Eastern National competition, as well as eighth in the all-around, while training for Summerville Gymnastics.
Joining her sister, Margaret on the team, Mary Kate Walch's primary routine will also be in the floor exercise. Like Margaret, she trained at Surgent's Elite Gymnastics, while attending Cranford High School. Performing for her home gym, Walch was a two-time JOGA State Champion (2010 and 2011), the beam and uneven bar champion in 2011. In addition, Mary Kate was Cranford High School's Athlete of the Week two times in her senior year and graduated as Cranford's all-time record holder for women's gymnastics on the floor exercise, balance beam and uneven bars. Also during her senior year, she was recognized by The Star-Ledger's North Jersey, Section 2 Gymnast of the Year in her senior year.
All five gymnasts will get their first taste at the collegiate level in January when the team opens the season at the George Washington Invitational.
Making her way from Old Bethpage, N.Y., Kilkenny trained at New Image Gymnastics Academy, where she placed first on balance beam in the 2011 Regional competition, as well as eighth in the all-around to qualify her for Level 10 Nationals. Among all the exercises she competes, she mostly enjoys performing on the balance beam.
Oliveri, also a resident of the state of New Jersey—Mantua—trained at Cherry Hill Gymnastics. While there, she was a two-time Level 10 Regional qualifier. The graduate of Clearview Regional High School enjoys participating in the floor exercise the most.
Hailing from Coppell, Texas, Popper developed a passion for performing on uneven bars while training at Top Flights Gymnastics. Prior to arriving to Temple, she finished second on uneven bars in the Eastern National competition in 2010, as well as 12th in the all-around as a Level 9 gymnast.
Vahala, another avid floor exercise performer, comes from Mt. Pleasant, S.C., where she attended Coastal Christian Preparatory School. Before arriving to Temple, she became a 2012 Level 10 Regional Qualifier, placed second on beam in the 2011 Level 9 Eastern National competition, as well as eighth in the all-around, while training for Summerville Gymnastics.
Joining her sister, Margaret on the team, Mary Kate Walch's primary routine will also be in the floor exercise. Like Margaret, she trained at Surgent's Elite Gymnastics, while attending Cranford High School. Performing for her home gym, Walch was a two-time JOGA State Champion (2010 and 2011), the beam and uneven bar champion in 2011. In addition, Mary Kate was Cranford High School's Athlete of the Week two times in her senior year and graduated as Cranford's all-time record holder for women's gymnastics on the floor exercise, balance beam and uneven bars. Also during her senior year, she was recognized by The Star-Ledger's North Jersey, Section 2 Gymnast of the Year in her senior year.
All five gymnasts will get their first taste at the collegiate level in January when the team opens the season at the George Washington Invitational.
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