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#NCAAMGym Recruiting: 2018's Top-15 Malone, GuiMaraes, Stephens Lead the way

1. Brody Malone (Stanford)

via GoStanford.com

Malone checks in at No. 1 thanks to being the most college-ready gymnast in the class. He won the all-around at this summer's P&G Championships and has a polished look that should benefit Stanford from the get-go.

Stanford HC Thom Glielmi on Malone:

"He is a tenacious competitor and makes an immediate impact on the team's potential. If his difficulty continues to improve, he will immediately transition to the senior ranks."

2. VITALIY GUIMARAES (OKLAHOMA)

Aesthetically, Guimaraes has some of the best gymnastics in the class. Given the talent Oklahoma is known to produce, he has the potential to finish his career as the best of anybody on this list.

Oklahoma HC Mark Williams on Guimaraes:

"Vitaliy is someone we expect to be an all-arounder. Coming from 5280 Gymnastics, he has a very artistic style to his gymnastics. We expect great things from Vitaliy’s career as a Sooner."

3. CLAY STEPHENS (ILLINOIS)

via @IlliniMGym

Stephens, the Aussie Senior National Team member, possesses enormous power on FX/VT. Along with that, he's got some of the best difficulty on PB/HB in the entire class. The only one on this list to compete at the 2017 Worlds, Stephens ruptured his ACL during the competition which drops him a spot or two.

4. Jesse Tyndall (Ohio STate)

via @OhioState_MGYM

Tyndall is the first of two on this list straying from the path of their older brother(s) (Wyatt - PSU, Mitch - Nebraska). Jesse is a current member of Canada's Junior National Team and should ease the pain of losing Sean Melton after the 2018 season.

5. Michael Fletcher (ILLINOIS)

via @IlliniMGym

Fletcher competed very well at P&G's (6th - AA) despite being only about eight months removed from shoulder surgery. He's a definite all-arounder for an Illinois team that is set to lose a lot of talent after this season.

6. Kevin Penev (Michigan)

via @UMichGym

I'm sure you wouldn't believe it based on the last name, but Penev is one of the strongest FX/VT workers in the class. The younger brother of Stanford great, Eddie, Kevin should be able to contribute on more than those two events as well.

7. David Pochinka (Minnesota)

via @GopherMGym

Similar to everybody already listed, you could easily make an argument for having Pochinka inside the top-five. While talented on all six, the younger brother of current Gopher, Yaroslav, should contend for All-America status on PB from the start.

Minnesota HC Mike Burns on Pochinka:

"He will add some serious firepower to our lineup across the board and could prove to be the top incoming freshman in the nation on the parallel bars. I'm thrilled that we are able to keep the Pochinka legacy going strong here at the University of Minnesota."

8. Ian Gunther (STANFORD)

via GoStanford.com

Gunther, the second Cardinal commit to crack the top-10, flashes potential on four events. He looks like one of the more talented junior PH workers and ended up 10th place AA at P&G's.

Stanford HC Thom Glielmi on Gunther:

"He is one of the top juniors and his pommel horse is already competitive with the senior men. Ian is also a solid all-arounder and I anticipate he will break into our parallel bar and horizontal bar line-up. He is still developing physically and all indications are he will be a solid ringman."

9. Darren Wong (Cal)

via @CalMGym

Wong is one of the lesser-known athletes of this class. A member of Canada's Junior National Team, he has a clean look and should be able to post some nice E-scores at Cal.

Cal HC JT Okada on Wong:

"Darren brings in an international gymnastics look and skillset. We're excited about that and believe he will fit in perfectly with the Golden Bears gymnastics family."

10. Angel Leon (Ohio State)

Leon is another athlete whose 2017 season was cut short due to injury. He should be a nice get for Rustam Sharipov and the Buckeyes as he looks to have the capability of developing into a strong competitor on SR, along with other events.

11. Nikita Bolotsky (Nebraska)

via @NebraskaMensGym

Nebraska HC Chuck Chmelka on Bolotsky:

"Nikita is a solid all-arounder who has beautiful execution and will help us on all six events immediately."

12. Jordan Kovach (Illinois)

13. Dillan King (Nebraska)

via @NebraskaMensGym

Nebraska HC Chuck Chmelka on King:

"Dillan is also a solid all-arounder but excels on vault, parallel bars and high bar. He will score points for the team on those three events immediately.”

14. Brady Yamamoto (Penn State)

via @PennStateMGYM

Penn State HC Randy Jepson on Yamamoto:

"We have a big need on high bar and he is going to fill that as well as being a multiple-event guy. He is an all-arounder and is going to pick up the slack for us in a lot of places."

15. Spencer Goodell (Oklahoma)

Oklahoma HC Mark Williams on Goodell:

"He’s had some experience working with former Soviet Union great Dmitry Bilozerchev as well. Spencer looks to have a tremendous upside to developing more difficult routines to his gymnastics."

Honorable Mentions:

Blake Wilson (Stanford), Nick Mock (Penn State), Joshua Williams (Navy), Evan Davis (Iowa), Morgan Seyler (Oklahoma), Michael Moran (Minnesota), Daniel Yoon (Minnesota)

Top-five Classes:

1. Stanford Cardinal

Brody Malone (#1), Ian Gunther (#8), Blake Wilson, Matt Szot, Curran Phillips

2. Illinois Fighting Illini

Clay Stephens (#3), Michael Fletcher (#5), Jordan Kovach (#12), Daniel Lasenbby, Ian Skirkey, Tony Sacchiero, Emanuele Muehlhauser

3. Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nikita Bolotsky (#11), Dillan King (#13), Khalil Jackson, Evan Kriley, Dylan LeClair, Noah Urwiler

4. Oklahoma Sooners

Vitaliy Guimaraes (#2), Spencer Goodell (#15), Morgan Seyler

5. Ohio State Buckeyes

Jesse Tyndall (#4), Angel Leon (#10), Dexter Roettker

Created By
Logan Bradley
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