BATON ROUGE — With five seniors, including three All-Americans on her 2002 squad, LSU gymnastics coach D-D Breaux took a major step towards replenishing her talent for the future Tuesday, announcing the signing of four standout athletes.
Breaux received letters of intent from Brittany Brown of Laurel, Md., Kelly Lea of Allentown, Pa., Rikki L’Heureux of Crawfordville, Fla., and Terin Martinjak of Largo, Fla.
“We feel that we have recruited four very balanced and quite talented gymnasts,” said Breaux. “They were all highly recruited USA Level 10 and elite level gymnasts. With the senior class we are graduating after this upcoming season, we are losing a lot of talent and maturity. These recruits that will bring in next year have extensive national experience and have all competed at the national level. They will add athletic and academic stability to an already talented team.”
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| Kelly Lea Allentown, Pa. |
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| Rikki L’Heureux Crawfordville, Fla. |
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| Terin Martinjak Largo, Fla. |
Lea is currently in her senior year at Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pa. She competes on the club level for the Parkettes Gymnastics Club and is a level 10 gymnast. Lea is an accomplished all-arounder with a strength in vaulting.
Martinjak trains in St. Petersburg, Fla., with the Tampa Bay Turner. She is the fourth gymnast LSU has signed from the club in the last five years and is in her senior year at Largo High School in Largo, Fla. Martinjak has been a level 10 gymnast for the past two years and is expected to step in and fill a void in the all-around for the Tigers.
Brown is a senior at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Wheaton, Md. A two-year member of the national Elite program, Brown placed sixth in the all-around at the USA Gymnastics National meet in Eugene, Ore., a year ago. In 2000 she won the vault a the Elite National Gymfest.
L’Heureux is currently a senior at Wakulla High School in Crawfordville, Fla., and trains at the Tallahassee Gymnastics Center. This past year she claimed the all-around title in three national invitational meets and has qualified for the USA Gymnastics Level 10 National Championships for the last three years. L’Heureux is another all-around prospect with strengths in both the balance beam and vault.
Breaux left the door open for additional signees later in the year.