Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Championship Final on April 19, 2025 , , 4th of 4 (197.2375)
Final Score
Gymnastics
4th of 4 (197.2375)
vs NCAA Championship Final
Utah Gymnastics Signs Outstanding Class For 2004-05
11/12/2003 12:00 AM | Gymnastics
Nov. 12, 2003
SALT LAKE CITY -
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The University of Utah gymnastics team has received signed National Letters of Intent from three international elite level gymnasts. Highlighting the 2004-05 freshman class is U.S. National Team member and World balance beam champion Ashley Postell, one of the most coveted recruits in the nation. Also committing to Utah on signing day were U.S. National Team member Katie Kivisto and Junior Olympic all-around champion Jessica Duke. Another former Junior Olympic all-around champion, Carissa Tudor, will join the trio of signees next fall.
 "Jessica is the most talented gymnast to come out of Utah since (former Ute) Deidra?Graham." - Head coach Greg Marsden |
| ? |
 "Katie is someone we went after really hard. She is an extremely talented athlete who will make an immediate impact on our team." - Head coach Marsden |
| ? |
 "Ashley is the total package. She is a lottery pick. Simply stated, she is one of the best gymnasts in the world." - Head coach Marsden |
| ? |
 "I consider Carissa the icing on our recruiting cake. She is a talented athlete whose promising gymnastics career has been slowed by injuries in the last two seasons." - Head coach Marsden |
| ? |
Duke, from Sandy, Utah, was the 2000 JO all-around champion and a 2001-02 international elite. She won the gold medal on floor exercise at the 2003 Utah-Moscow Games in Moscow, Russia, where she also placed third on the uneven bars and fifth in the all-around. She finished 10th in the all-around at the 2003 JO Championships. Duke attends Waterford School and trains at Olympus School of Gymnastics under Mary Wright, who is also a volunteer coach for the Utes. She is the daughter of Jeff and Joy Duke.
"Jessica is the most talented gymnast to come out of Utah since (former Ute) Deidra Graham," says Marsden. "She has great skills on every event and is an experienced national and international competitor. It's especially exciting when a locally trained gymnast can come in and help us continue to be competitive at the highest level and Jessica is certainly capable of that."
Kivisto, a Boca Raton, Fla., native, is a five-year international elite gymnast who competed for the U.S. Senior National Team in 2001-02. She placed 11th in the all-around at the 2001 USA Gymnastics Championships. Kivisto was a member of the USA Junior National Team from 1999-2000 and was the 1999 JO floor exercise champion. She attends Pope John Paul II High School and trains at American Twisters under coaches Tim and Toni Rand. She is the daughter of Jake and Sharon Kivisto.
"Katie is someone we went after really hard," says Marsden. "She is an extremely talented athlete who will make an immediate impact on our team. She is a beautiful gymnast to watch perform and has plenty of difficulty packed into every routine. She even has a skill on balance beam (the "Kivisto") named after her. Katie has experienced success at every level and I am confident that will continue throughout her collegiate gymnastics career."
Postell, a Burke, Va., native, has been a member of the USA National Team for the past seven years. She has competed for two U.S. World Championship teams (2002-03), winning the balance beam competition at the 2002 World Championships. At the 2003 USA Championships, she won floor exercise and placed second on the balance beam and fourth in both the all-around and the uneven bars. Postell, who is home schooled, trains for Capital Gymnastics NTC under the coaching of Tatiana Perskaia and Marina Gerasimova. She is the daughter of Linda and Gary Postell.
"Ashley is the total package. She is a lottery pick," raves Marsden. "Simply stated, she is one of the best gymnasts in the world. Having made the last two World Championship teams, she is one of the favorites to make this summer's USA Olympic team. We are thrilled that once she has fulfilled her commitment to the U.S. team, she will join our team at the University of Utah. She is destined to become one of the stars of collegiate gymnastics."
Tudor, from Claremont, Calif., has been admitted to the University and will have a place on the team next fall. Unable to compete for the last two years due to injuries, she was the 2001 Junior Olympic all-around champion and a silver medalist on the balance beam and floor exercise. She was also the 2001 region I floor exercise champion and the 2001 Southern California state uneven bar champ. Tudor attends Claremont High School and trains at Charter Oak Gymnastics Gliders for coaches Jay Wells, Lisa Mueller and Monica Guadagnini. She is the daughter of Ken and Marsha Tudor.
"I consider Carissa the icing on our recruiting cake," says Marsden. "She is a talented athlete whose promising gymnastics career has been slowed by injuries in the last two seasons. If we can keep Carissa healthy, I believe that she will emerge as one of the real talents joining the collegiate scene next year. We are really pleased that she has chosen Utah as the place to mount her comeback."
Fan Fest 2025 Coaches and Players Interviews: Gymnastics
Sunday, August 17
Seven New Inductees to Join Utah Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2025
Monday, July 28
Utah Gymnastic's Grace McCallum call out from University of Utah President Randall
Thursday, May 08
Utah Gymnastics Post-Meet Press Conference 4.5.25 | NCAA Regional Semifinal
Sunday, April 06