Cal Announces 2024 Signing Class
Bears Pen Three Excellent Gymnasts
BERKELEY - The California women's gymnastics team announced its 2024 signing class on Wednesday, as a trio of sought-after recruits in Ondine Achampong, CJ Keuneke and Mya Wiley penned their National Letters of Intent.
Achampong comes to Berkeley from Kings Langley, England, where she has been a longstanding member of the Great Britain National Team. One of the top gymnasts in the world, Achampong competed for the senior team at the 2023 World Championships last month and placed 13th in the all-around. At the 2022 World Championships, Ondine helped Great Britain win the silver medal in the team competition. Her other major competitive accolades include being the British beam champion, a European beam silver medalist, and a European Junior Olympic all-around silver medalist and beam champion.
"We are ecstatic to be welcoming Ondine to Berkeley," Co-Head Coach Elisabeth Crandall Howell said. "She is one of the most artistic gymnasts competing in the world. She loves to dance and express herself through her performances. Audiences will love watching her on floor exercise and balance beam. The joy she brings to the sport is palpable to all who get the opportunity to watch her compete. She is also powerful and dynamic, consistently scoring one of the highest execution scores at the international level on her Yurchenko double twist on vault. We look forward to Ondine making an immediate and lasting impact as a teammate, competitor and in the Cal community."
Achampong currently competes for Aylesbury Gymnastics Academy under coaches Molly and Josh Richardson and attended The Hemel Hempstead School.
Keuneke joins the Bears after an incredibly successful USA Gymnastics career. In 2023 she finished first in the All-Around at the Level 10 Region Three Championships, where she was also first on beam, first on floor and second on the uneven bars. Keuneke is a four-time Level 10 National qualifier, three-time Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier, five-time regional champion, and ten-time Colorado state champion. She is also a ten-time member of the 38-plus All-Around club, and appears in America's top 100 multiple times with career-high Level 10 scores of a perfect 10.0 on floor exercise, 9.8 on uneven bars, 9.775 on both vault and balance beam, and 38.75 all-around.
"CJ brings such passion to every day," Crandall-Howell said. "It was immediately evident that she commits completely to everything she sets her mind to. Her creativity in gymnastics and inquisitive personality are a perfect fit to the Cal Gymnastics philosophy of 'One Day Better'. She has many different gymnastics skills in her repertoire, and it will be quite exciting to choose which things to put in her routines. As a multi-time National qualifier, she brings experience that will help strengthen line ups on every event. We are thrilled to have CJ joining us in Berkeley."
The Denver, Colorado native attends Springs Studio for Academic Excellence and is ranked at the top of her class. Keuneke competes for MM23 under coaches Marcelo Figueiredo and Megan Shields. She is also an exceptional student, making honor roll all four years along with being named to the Principal's List and being invited to the National Honors Society.
Wiley is a four-time Level 10 national qualifier who during the 2022 season placed first on vault at the state and regional championships. Mya vaulted her way to the top of the National podium, where she was crowned the 2022 DP national vault champion. She has appeared on Americas top 100 scores with a 9.875 at those contests. In 2023 she placed 7th in the all-around and on floor at the Level 10 nationals and took third on vault with a season-high score of 9.85.
"Mya is an incredibly bright and energetic young woman," Co-Head Coach Justin Howell said. "Her passion for life, gymnastics and academics make her the perfect addition to our Cal family. Her artistry and power will make an immediate impact on our lineups, and her beautiful Yurchenko 1.5 twist will help us continue to build depth on vault. We are thrilled to welcome her to Berkeley and we can't wait to watch her infectious smile light up Haas Pavilion!"
Wiley comes to Cal from Silverdale, Washington where she competes at the Olympic Gymnastics Center under coaches Greg Mutchler, Tori Smieja, and Luke Fredericksen. She comes with a strong academic resume from Central Kitsap High School receiving the academic excellence award during every semester and being a member of the National Honors Society. Also fluent in Japanese, Wiley received the Seal of Biliteracy from her high school.
Bears Pen Three Excellent Gymnasts
BERKELEY - The California women's gymnastics team announced its 2024 signing class on Wednesday, as a trio of sought-after recruits in Ondine Achampong, CJ Keuneke and Mya Wiley penned their National Letters of Intent.
Achampong comes to Berkeley from Kings Langley, England, where she has been a longstanding member of the Great Britain National Team. One of the top gymnasts in the world, Achampong competed for the senior team at the 2023 World Championships last month and placed 13th in the all-around. At the 2022 World Championships, Ondine helped Great Britain win the silver medal in the team competition. Her other major competitive accolades include being the British beam champion, a European beam silver medalist, and a European Junior Olympic all-around silver medalist and beam champion.
"We are ecstatic to be welcoming Ondine to Berkeley," Co-Head Coach Elisabeth Crandall Howell said. "She is one of the most artistic gymnasts competing in the world. She loves to dance and express herself through her performances. Audiences will love watching her on floor exercise and balance beam. The joy she brings to the sport is palpable to all who get the opportunity to watch her compete. She is also powerful and dynamic, consistently scoring one of the highest execution scores at the international level on her Yurchenko double twist on vault. We look forward to Ondine making an immediate and lasting impact as a teammate, competitor and in the Cal community."
Achampong currently competes for Aylesbury Gymnastics Academy under coaches Molly and Josh Richardson and attended The Hemel Hempstead School.
Keuneke joins the Bears after an incredibly successful USA Gymnastics career. In 2023 she finished first in the All-Around at the Level 10 Region Three Championships, where she was also first on beam, first on floor and second on the uneven bars. Keuneke is a four-time Level 10 National qualifier, three-time Nastia Liukin Cup qualifier, five-time regional champion, and ten-time Colorado state champion. She is also a ten-time member of the 38-plus All-Around club, and appears in America's top 100 multiple times with career-high Level 10 scores of a perfect 10.0 on floor exercise, 9.8 on uneven bars, 9.775 on both vault and balance beam, and 38.75 all-around.
"CJ brings such passion to every day," Crandall-Howell said. "It was immediately evident that she commits completely to everything she sets her mind to. Her creativity in gymnastics and inquisitive personality are a perfect fit to the Cal Gymnastics philosophy of 'One Day Better'. She has many different gymnastics skills in her repertoire, and it will be quite exciting to choose which things to put in her routines. As a multi-time National qualifier, she brings experience that will help strengthen line ups on every event. We are thrilled to have CJ joining us in Berkeley."
The Denver, Colorado native attends Springs Studio for Academic Excellence and is ranked at the top of her class. Keuneke competes for MM23 under coaches Marcelo Figueiredo and Megan Shields. She is also an exceptional student, making honor roll all four years along with being named to the Principal's List and being invited to the National Honors Society.
Wiley is a four-time Level 10 national qualifier who during the 2022 season placed first on vault at the state and regional championships. Mya vaulted her way to the top of the National podium, where she was crowned the 2022 DP national vault champion. She has appeared on Americas top 100 scores with a 9.875 at those contests. In 2023 she placed 7th in the all-around and on floor at the Level 10 nationals and took third on vault with a season-high score of 9.85.
"Mya is an incredibly bright and energetic young woman," Co-Head Coach Justin Howell said. "Her passion for life, gymnastics and academics make her the perfect addition to our Cal family. Her artistry and power will make an immediate impact on our lineups, and her beautiful Yurchenko 1.5 twist will help us continue to build depth on vault. We are thrilled to welcome her to Berkeley and we can't wait to watch her infectious smile light up Haas Pavilion!"
Wiley comes to Cal from Silverdale, Washington where she competes at the Olympic Gymnastics Center under coaches Greg Mutchler, Tori Smieja, and Luke Fredericksen. She comes with a strong academic resume from Central Kitsap High School receiving the academic excellence award during every semester and being a member of the National Honors Society. Also fluent in Japanese, Wiley received the Seal of Biliteracy from her high school.
