Malabuyo, Padurariu Sign with UCLA Gymnastics
December 18, 2019 | Gymnastics
Former U.S. National Team member Emma Malabuyo and Canadian National Team member Ana Padurariu have signed national letters of intent with UCLA and will join the Bruins in 2021.
Malabuyo, the 2017 USA Junior National champion on floor exercise, was a 2018-19 senior national team member and a three-time junior national team member (2017-18, 2016-17, 2015-16). In 2017, she established herself as one of the top juniors in the nation, winning the U.S. Classic junior all-around and floor titles and placing second on beam before winning four medals at the P&G Championships (floor gold, all-around and bars silver and vault bronze). Malabuyo also competed three times internationally, winning team and vault gold at the 2017 Gymnix International Junior Cup; winning team and floor gold, vault silver and all-around bronze at the Jesolo Trophy; and taking first on floor, second in the all-around and beam and third on vault and bars at the International Junior Gymnastics Competition in Japan. Malabuyo's most recent international assignment was at the 2019 Jesolo Trophy, where she added to her medal haul at that meet, winning team gold, beam and floor silver and all-around bronze in the senior division.
The Texas Dreams gymnast burst onto the national scene in 2015, placing third in the all-around at the American Classic and seventh on beam at the USA Championships. In 2016, she received her first international assignment, winning beam and floor and placing third in the all-around at the Gymnix International Junior Cup. Malabuyo also took first place on beam and second in the all-around, bars and floor in the junior division at the Jesolo Trophy and placed second in the all-around and third on beam at the Secret U.S. Classic.
"Emma is optimistic and has a love of life that she shares enthusiastically," said UCLA head coach Chris Waller. "She thrives on performing and competing and is excited to come to her dream school back in her home state of California. Reminiscent of UCLA great Peng-Peng Lee, Emma is quick-twitched, artistic and charismatic on the competition floor. Emma will be an impact athlete on all four events."
Padurariu is a two-time World Championships competitor from Gemini Gymnastics who won a silver medal on the balance beam at the 2018 World Championships and qualified for the beam finals in 2019. She won silver in the all-around at the 2019 World Cup in Stuttgart and won four medals at the 2019 Canadian National Championships, winning bars, placing second in the all-around and on beam and placing third on floor. Also in 2019, she won gold medals in the all-around, bars, beam and floor at the Elite Canada meet and won uneven bars gold at the International Gymnix. In 2018, she was second in the all-around at Elite Canada and second on bars at the national championships.
A Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada native, Padurariu made a big splash in 2017, sweeping the all-around and all four events first at Elite Canada and then again at the Canadian Championships. She also won beam gold and vault bronze at the 2017 Jesolo Trophy and all-around silver and floor bronze at the 2017 Gymnix Junior Cup after claiming four gold medals (all-around, bars, beam and floor) at the 2016 Pan American Championships.
"Ana brings world class skill, experience and character to our program," said Waller. "Her artistic flair and international pedigree provides an aesthetic that will not just help propel scores but also contribute to the grace and joy of gymnastics. Ana has a unique personality that will help foster a familial team culture and develop Bruin ambassadors. She is incredibly kind and likeable, and yet deceivingly competitive."
Malabuyo and Padurariu will join Jordan Chiles, Frida Esparza and Chae Campbell in the 2021 freshman class.