STANFORD, Calif. – Boasting a nice blend of youth and experience, the 18th-ranked Stanford women's gymnastics team opens the 2018 season on Monday at 6 p.m. PST by hosting the NorCal Classic at Maples Pavilion. Cal, San Jose State, Sacramento State and UC Davis will also compete.
Cardinal first-year head coach Tabitha Yim got a late start on the job, taking over last summer, but is no stranger to the program. As a Stanford undergraduate, she was a 14-time All-American, the most in school history, and was named Pac-10 Gymnast of the Year in 2008.
A native of Irvine, California, Yim was a Cardial assistant coach from 2010-15, then became head coach at Arizona.
"It was definitely a whirlwind," she said. "It happened quickly and I was happy I could get here before the student-athletes started school. What made it easier was all the help I received from my assistant coaches Chris (Swircek) and Neal (Gallant) and the support I got at Stanford. It takes a village."
Yim inherited one senior, but hit the jackpot in Elizabeth Price, whom she calls "other-wordly." A six-time All-American, she won the 2015 NCAA vault title and was chosen the 2016 Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year.
"What makes Elizabeth so special is not just her gymnastics but who she is as a person," Yim said. "She excels in every part of her life."
Price, a biomechanical engineering major from Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, came to Stanford despite being the only recruit in her class.
"I don't think many people would be able to handle it as gracefully as she has the past four years," said Yim. "She's really embraced the role of a leader and put the team on her back. It's just a testament to who she is as a person."
Also returning are juniors Taryn Fitzgerald, Hailee Hoffman and Nicole Hoffman. Fitzgerald has rebounded from an injury and is a poised competitor who will likely lead off on beam. Hailee Hoffman is a sparkplug who combines athleticism and passion, while Nicole Hoffman has also returned from injury and should contribute on beam.
Sophomores Kaylee Cole, Ashley Tai and Aleeza Yu had strong rookie campaigns. Both are energetic and battle-tested, and Yim expects even bigger things in 2018.
She is equally excited about the potential of freshmen Kyla Bryant, Rachel Flam, Grace Garcia, Taylor Lawson, Lauren Navarro and Catherine Rogers.
"Kyla has one gear and is a crowd-pleaser," said Yim. "Rachel was a three-time JO national champion, is rock-solid, and out-works everyone. Grace is super dynamic, powerful and artistic, but is injured and we hope to have her back before the end of the year. Taylor is steady, calm and handles her business. Lauren has stunning form and presence and is very artistic. And Cat has returned from injury and has beautiful lines and height on her releases, qualities you can't teach."
Even with so many newcomers, Yim has lofty expectations.
"Our team has big aspirations," she said. "I think it's really exciting because we're going to push the difficulty early on. We may not be there at the beginning of the year but we're going to keep grinding, working, learning and just go up. Our ceiling is extremely high."
Team members chose the motto HIP, which stands for heart, integrity and purpose.
"They're really excited to get out there and do something special," said Yim.
Monday is the first of four home meets for the Cardinal. There is no admission charge and parking is free after 4 p.m.
