May 10, 1999

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky gymnastics team has signed four recruits to national letters of intent, Coach Leah Little announced today.

Julia Gore, Lori Loesch, Mindy Smith and Melanie Zaharias have each announced their plans to compete for the GymKats during the 2000 season.

“We are pleased with the depth and talent these athletes can bring to our squad,” Coach Leah Little said. “We are excited at the talent level these women bring to our program.”

Gore, a native of Pflugerville, Texas, is a gymnast at Capital Gymnastics where current UK senior Misty Marinik spent her club days. Gore finished third in all-around at the 1997 Elite Zone competition and second in all-around at the 1996 and 1997 Heart of Texas meets.

Loesch, who hails from Rosharon, Texas, is currently a gymnast at Brown’s Gymnastics in Houston. Loesch was the 1997 Pride of Texas Award winner and a member of the 1997-98 U.S. National team. A three-time national competitor, Loesch was the Region III all-around champion in 1997 and 1998.

Smith comes to Kentucky from Borden, Ind. and is a four-time national qualifier. Smith was named to the Region V All-Star team and competed with them in Sweden in 1998. Smith finished fifth in all-around at the 1998 Senior National Elite meet. She is a gymnast at the Southern Indiana Gymnastics School.

Zaharias, a native of Lakewood, Colo., and a gymnast at Colorado Gymnastics Institute, was state vault champion in 1995, 1996 and 1998. Zaharias also took second place in all-around at the Region III regional meet earlier this year. She also won the Colorado State High School gymnastics competition in 1998.