STANFORD, Calif. – Coming off its ninth top-three finish at the NCAA Championships in the past 10 years, Stanford grew stronger by adding five gymnasts to the roster for the 2015-16 season.
Josiah Eng, Tucker Haas, Luke Sturm, Barrett Weiss and Gareth Weiss will join the Cardinal in the fall of 2015. The quintet joins Grant Breckenridge and David Jessen who signed their National Letter of Intent in November 2014.
Eng joins Stanford from New Berlin, Wisconsin, where he trained at Swiss Turners Gymnastics Academy under the direction of Andrei Kan and Alex Belanovski. He is a five-time national still rings champion (2010-14) and will be pursuing his sixth title at the national competition in May.
“Stanford has a history of having great ring-men and Josiah definitely adds to this long history,” said Stanford head coach Thom Glielmi. “He is the best ring-man coming out of his class and one of the best ring-men in the country – not just in the junior ranks. He will make an immediate impact on that event, and he is a gymnast that people will watch and be amazed at how strong he is.”
Eng placed sixth in the all-around and eighth on floor at the 2014 Junior Olympics Nationals. He was a member of a three-time national championship team (2012-14) and claimed the 2015 state championship in the all-around. He is a 2015 Region 4 team member.
Eng has excelled in the classroom and is a four-time Academic All-American (2012-14), a member of the New Berlin Eisenhower High School Honor Roll and a National Honors Society member.
“He is a great add to the program and we are excited to have him join the team,” said Glielmi.
Haas joins the Cardinal from Charlotte, North Carolina, where he trained at Zenith Gymnastics under coach Stanislav Savitch. He is the 2015 Watson-Raines Award recipient, placed third on floor at Junior Olympics Nationals and is a Region 8 Elite Team member. He is a five-time national qualifier.
Haas boasts academic honors as well as an AP Distinguished Scholar and National Merit Commended Student. He is a Presidential Gold Service Award recipient and is the co-founder of a nonprofit called Lexi’s Voice.
Sturm hails from Orlando, Florida, where he competed for Stick It Gymnastics under the direction of John Hallett, Wyatt Aycock and Mo Abdullah. He is a five-time Junior Olympic National Qualifier, a three-time Region 8 Elite Team member and the 2012 Florida state champion.
Sturm is the Lake Highland Preparatory School valedictorian, National Honor Society Vice President, a STEM scholar and will graduate cum laude. He also tutors math at a local middle school and uses his gymnastics skills to provide entertainment for individuals at local hospitals.
Brothers Barrett and Gareth Weiss make the trip up the coast from Pasadena, California, where they trained at Payke Gymnastics Academy under Matthew Lowry.
Barrett is a 2015 Region 1 Elite Team member, placed second at the 2015 California state all-around competition and finished fifth in the all-around at the 2014 Region 1 Championship Level 10 Junior Elite meet.
Barrett is an AP Scholar with distinction, National Merit Commended, and a three-time USA Gymnastics Academic All-American (2013-15). He has volunteered for multiple organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club and with the Special Olympics.
Gareth placed second in the 2015 Region 1 in the all-around, is a Region 1 Elite Team member and a national qualifier from 2012-15. He volunteers with the Special Olympics and the Boys and Girls Club.
Gareth is an AP Scholar with distinction, was on the Dean’s List and Academic Honor Roll every semester through high school and is a three-time USA Gymnastics Academic All-American (2013-15).
Stanford is coming off a second-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Championships – the team’s ninth top-three finish in the past 10 years. Five Cardinal gymnasts combined for 10 All-America honors and three gymnasts earned NCAA titles.
Stanford excelled in the classroom as well, garnering 10 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation All-Academic honors to lead the conference for the sixth consecutive year.