UCLA Gymnastics Signs Dennis, Tratz to NLIs
November 12, 2016 | Gymnastics
UCLA Gymnastics head coach Valorie Kondos Field has announced the signing of four-time U.S. National Team member Nia Dennis (Columbus, Ohio/Legacy Elite Gymnastics) and German National Team member and 2016 Olympic alternate Pauline Tratz (Karlsruhe, Germany/TSV Rintheim/Karlsruhe Gymnastics) to National Letters of Intent. The duo will enter UCLA in the fall of 2017.
Dennis has competed in the last five P&G Championships, including the 2015 and 2016 Championships at the senior level. In 2015 she placed ninth in the all-around and tied for fourth on balance beam, and in 2016, she competed only on uneven bars while recovering from an injury and placed eighth. As a junior, she won the vault and placed second in the all-around in 2014, and in 2013 she placed fourth in the all-around and second on vault. Dennis also had a seventh-place all-around finish in 2012. Representing the USA junior teams, she placed second in the all-around and won team gold at the 2014 Pacific Rim Championships and earned silver in the all-around and on uneven bars and gold in the team competition at the 2013 City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy. Dennis had had a good share of success at the Secret U.S. Classic, winning gold on uneven bars and silver in the all-around in 2014 and gold on vault and silver on floor exercise in 2013.
Tratz competed for Germany at the 2015 World Championships and was an all-around finalist at the 2015 European Championships. She also won silver on vault and bronze on floor exercise at the 2015 German National Championships. In 2016, she helped Germany qualify for the Olympic Games with a second-place team finish at the Olympic Test Event and was selected as an Olympic alternate. Tratz is the reigning German National champion on vault and also won a bronze medal on floor exercise at the 2016 National Championships.
"We are excited to bring two student-athletes into our program next year who have such extensive national and international competitive experience," said Kondos Field. "Both Nia Dennis and Pauline Tratz have magnetic performance qualities that speak to the high level of competitive experiences they've enjoyed the past few years. It's always important that we bring amazing talent and character to our team. It's especially nice when they also bring that 'special star quality' that makes them unique."