(GYM) CLOSED - Gymnastics 2022 - 2023

I'm thinking Avery Neff is headed to Utah. Lily Bruce comes right on the heels of Avery's visit last weekend.

24 is going to be a monster class with or without Shilese Jones.

 

Shilese Jones is a world class gymnast. If she does well in World's and Paris 24, I think she can make more in endorsements, sponsorships, and tours than using NIL in college. Net worth of some notable gymnasts who skipped college gymnasts and went pro from World's or Olympics.

Simone Biles - $16 Million - (NOT a Comparison for any woman gymnast)
Gabby Douglas - $4 Million
Laurie Hernandez - $2 Million (Took Pro over UF)
McKayla Maroney - $3 Million
Aly Raisman - $4 Million (Took Pro over UF)
Jordan Wieber - $3.5 Million

An interesting story on Jordan Wieber is that she missed out on the college experience so much that she paid her way through UCLA and started out volunteering for the UCLA gymnastics team. She literally started off as a towel girl before advancing to a Volunteer Assistant Coach and then to a paid Assistant Coach. Jordan is now the head coach at Arkansas.

I don't think any collegiate woman gymnast has the ability to develop multi-million-dollar net worth using NIL. Maybe someday, but it isn't happening now. If you know different, I'd like to see the who and the numbers.

The thing about these women above is they went pro in an era before NIL. It came down to a choice of money or collegiate career. These women chose the money.

Contrast Shilese Jones actions to the actions she could have taken since the Tokyo Olympics keeping in mind that she was not a part of the Tokyo Olympics Team.

Starting in the Fall of 2021 when she could have been at UF with the opportunity to have NIL, she chose to defer UF another year and chose to participate in Simone Bile's Gold Over America Tour. Some will say Shilese deferred UF because her father passed away last December, but her father's health didn't stop her from participating on the tour.

Gold Over America Tour - Home

Some of the gymnasts who participated on this tour and then went to their schools are Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum, and Morgan Hurd.

In the spring of 2022, Shilese again deferred UF until after Paris 24 at which time she would become a 24-year-old during her UF freshman season. Something about this decision bothers me. In my mind, I question whether she is desirous of the college experience like Jordan Wieber. If she does well at World's and at Paris 24, it would not be a surprise to me that she chooses to capitalize on the Olympic experience and go for likely bigger dollars with sponsors, endorsements, and tours. The pro decision would be consistent with decisions she has already made passing on college and NIL.

Again, this is just my opinion. I hope she chooses to show up at UF in January 2023. We have a slot on the team for her. All she has to do is take it.

EDIT:

Top dollar NIL can be done, but it isn't easy:

Olivia Dunne at LSU has $2.4 Million in NIL Deals
Suni Lee at Auburn has $1.6 Million in NIL Deals
On3 shows Trinity Thomas with $75,000 in NIL Deals

So, it looks like there are 2 college gymnasts who have been able to capitalize on NIL deals for big dollars. Suni Lee is the Tokyo Olympics all-around Gold Medalist and even she can't keep up with Olivia Dunne who apparently is an NIL machine.

Note to all college gymnasts, study Olivia Dunne and copy what she does so long as you don't violate any state laws.

 

Absolutely. If Shilese had come to UF last fall, she would have already had a year to start developing her NIL and she would have a year of college performance to back it up. Right now, she isn't making any money as she can't without being classified as a professional which would end her collegiate eligibility. The NCAA allows NIL for enrolled athletes. Bottom line, she has put herself between a rock and a hard place. She has gone all in on her future financial success being provided by how she does in World's and Paris Olympics 24.

What I don't understand is Olivia Dunne being savvy enough to put together a $2.4 million NIL when the all-around Tokyo champion and gold medalist Suni Lee with all of her Olympics advantages has only put together $1.6 million by comparison.

I'm also shocked with Trinity Thomas winning the Honda Gymnastic Athlete of the Year and with having outperformed Suni Lee 3 times in the 22 season hasn't been able to establish her NIL higher than $75,000 presuming On3 is right on her total. All I'll say is UF is fortunate to have Trinity back for her 5th season.

 

Gymnastics Internet Talk:

1. Leanne Wong is undecided if she will defer her 23/24 year to concentrate on Paris Olympics 24. With her time juggling skills, I wouldn't be surprised to see her stay with UF and still go for Paris similar to what she did last year and is doing now with World's.

2. Avery Neff posted that she loved her UF visit last week. She thanked everyone on the UF team by name and thanked all of the coaches. She said Florida knows how to have a good time.

UF and Utah are now the speculated favorites to win her commitment. Utah is her home state, so they have that going for them. The Red Rocks have an excellent HC and an annually competitive gymnastics team too.

 

The first day of the US World Team trials was completed on Friday night, 10/22/2022:

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@theblackestdae
"I don’t see any circumstance where the traveling 6 are not Blakely, Carey, Chiles, Jones, Wong, and Zeiss".

Leanne Wong was reportedly not her usual sharp self during night one. Keep in mind that she is coming off an ankle sprain that she got in competition in the US Nationals in Tampa at the end of August. She sits in 5th place going into the second and final night tonight.

From the USA Gymnastics World's Women's Gymnastics site:

USA Gymnastics | Women's World Championships team selection camp kicks off Thursday

The top 6 travel, but only the top 5 perform with gymnast #6 being an alternate. Leanne needs to close out well tonight, or she could end up being alternate gymnast #6. It's a great trip to Liverpool, England, but not so great if she doesn't perform with the top 5:

2022 World Gymnastics Championships (british-gymnastics.org)

Gators Gymnastics on Twitter: "#Gators sending good-luck wishes out to Katy, Texas for today's @USAGym World Championships selection competition. Follow beginning at 7pmET https://t.co/JfEhlTSPgV https://t.co/zlGZ6PXaXs #GoGators | ‍♀️ https://t.co/qUDI0fAGBv" / Twitter

Let's Go Leanne! Gator Nation is behind you!

 

If Kayla Dicello does not sprain her ankle, there could have been 4 out of 6 Gators and future Gators. Kayla finished 3rd at the 21 Worlds behind 2nd Leanne Wong.

The team leaving for Liverpool, England today is outstanding. They should do very well. Leanne, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey will be bringing their collegiate support for all the US gymnasts as they did at the US Nationals in Tampa. US Elites and collegiate gymnastics has a newly found and very good working relationship:

Jade Carey - Oregon State
Jordan Chiles - UCLA
Leanne Wong - Florida
Shilese Jones - Florida 24 (maybe)
Skye Blakely - Florida 24
Lexi Zeiss - LSU 24 (turns 17 on November 4/graduates 24

Shilese earned her spot on the team by finishing first on Friday night.

 

In an update to post #37, Olivia Greaves announced that she had a failed ACL surgery that has now been corrected:

Gymnastics (reddit.com)

She hopes to ready to perform for Auburn in the 24 season. Olivia has had both knees subjected to ACL surgeries.

I wish her the best of luck in her attempt to return to performing gymnastics. Right now, all she can do is cheer on her Auburn teammates.

I know it must have been tough on Jenny Rowland to rescind Olivia's UF ship offer, but it was the right thing to do.

 

Avery Neff, the #1 ranked gymnast in the 24 class, is apparently announcing soon. I picked this up as a retweet from Dr. Sam:

Avery Neff on Twitter: "Not going to lie, this has been one of the hardest decisions of my life!!! I am so grateful for all the incredible teammates and coaches that I’ve met and learned from! I can’t wait to announce who I am committing to! For now, I’d love to hear all of your top picks below!! https://t.co/8UDGn3bZdg" / Twitter

Five hats on the table in alphabetical order:

Alabama
Florida
LSU
Oklahoma
Utah

 

I almost said that above so glad you did. There is not one gymnast worth the recruiting games being played here. Be where you want to be without leading on fan bases of 5 schools.

Our not so good and very jealous friends at Tiger Droppings Gymnasts thinks Neff is coming to UF:

LSU Gymnastics Recruiting Thread | Page 5 | LSU Recruiting (tigerdroppings.com)

Me? No clue. I won't be surprised with whatever she decides to do.