Spring adds elite gymnasts

URBANA — Two members of the U.S. Junior National Team recently signed national letters of intent with the Illinois men’s gymnastics program.
C.J. Maestas of Corrales, N.M., and Cameron Rogers of Mint Hill, N.C., will join coach Justin Spring’s team next season.
“The most exciting thing about these recruits is that they have no weaknesses,” Spring said. “They are both exceptional in the all-around, and their talent makes this one of the top recruiting classes in the country.”
Last weekend, Maestas won the still rings at the Junior Pan American Championships in Aracaju, Brazil. He also placed second in the all-around, pommel horse and parallel bars, fourth on the vault and floor exercise and sixth on the high bar.
In May, Maestas captured his second straight title in still rings at the U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships, and he also placed first in the parallel bars.
Rogers has competed at the U.S. Junior Olympic National Championships since 2006, finishing in the top five three times. In August, he won three events at the Junior Visa Championships: the all-around, still rings and parallel bars.

In women's tennis:

Dasso lands two five-star recruits. A pair of five-star recruits recently signed national letters of intent with the Illinois women’s tennis team.
Allison Falkin of Roswell, Ga., and Michelle Kedzierski of St. Louis will join coach Michelle Dasso’s program next season. The Illini signees received five-star rankings one level below blue chip from TennisRecruiting.net,
Falkin is ranked No. 38 nationally on TennisRecruiting.net and fourth in the state of Georgia. In July, she teamed with current TCU sophomore Kayla Duncan to win the USTA National Clay Court doubles title. Falkin, a student at Tennis Academy of the South, also won the Georgia State Closed Qualifying Championship in June.
Kedzierski is ranked No. 53 in the nation and No. 1 in Missouri. Additionally, Kedzierski won the Girls’ 18 Sweet 16 singles and doubles titles in 2007 and 2008. The St. Louis St. Joseph’s Academy senior is a two-time state singles champion.

In men's tennis:
Ram wins singles match. Former Illini Rajeev Ram, seeded second, defeated Luka Gregorc 6-2, 7-6 (5) on Tuesday night in singles play at the JSM Challenger at Atkins Tennis Center.
Kaden Hensel defeated former Illini Ryler DeHeart 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (3).