ANCHORAGE (Aug. 22) – Alaska Anchorage gymnastics head coach Marie-Sophie Boggasch unveiled her team's 2023-24 recruiting class Tuesday, announcing that six student-athletes have committed to compete for the Seawolves.

The newcomers are comprised of four true freshmen – Maria Jose Prieto, Claudia Lessig, Maddy Murphy and Avery Tillmanns – along with transfers Talia Folino and Audrey Guess.

Here is a brief look at each newcomer:

Talia Folino – Melbourne, Australia (Mount Waverley Secondary/Long Island University)
The lone newcomer with collegiate experience, Folino competed on all four events in her two competitive seasons at LIU. Last year she produced season highs of 9.625 on vault and 9.775 on bars., and scored 9.675 or better on all five of her floor exercises.
Coach Boggasch says: "We are ecstatic that Talia chose to transfer to UAA and are looking forward to seeing her flourish in her final year of college. A consistent competitor on all events, our fans will love watching her exceptional execution and performance."

Audrey Guess – Baton Rouge, La. (Parkview Baptist HS/Cypress Pointe Gymnastics)
A former Level 9 standout as a high school performer, Guess's career was interrupted by the pandemic before returning to the mat as a club competitor at Louisiana State.
Coach Boggasch says: "A standout bar specialist, Audrey entered the transfer portal after continuing club gymnastics into her sophomore year at LSU. Our staff was very impressed by her grit and determination, and we are honored to provide her with this opportunity."

Claudia Lessig – Spring, Texas (Enlightium Academy/World Champions Centre)
A Level 10 competitor since 2019, Lessig trained at one of the nation's top gyms and was a 2023 JO Region 3 Championships all-around qualifier, placing second in her division on bars. She was also sixth in her all-around division at the Texas State Championships.
Coach Boggasch says: "Coming to us from WCC, Claudia will be able to impress with her consistency across all four apparatus. A solid all-arounder with a passion for Alaska, she will bring important balance to the team."

Maddy Murphy – Spokane, Wash. (Ridgeline HS/Dynamic Gymnastics Academy)
Murphy was a two-year Level 10 competitor with Dynamic GA, placing fourth in the all-around and winning the vault with a 9.7 at the 2023 JO Region 2 Championships. She won gold six times and earned four additional podium finishes in 15 vault competitions in 2022 and 2023 as well.
Coach Boggasch says: "Maddy is an incredibly powerful gymnast who we are especially looking forward to adding into our vault and floor lineups. She's the incoming freshman with the highest difficulty on those two events."

Maria Jose Prieto – Morelos, Mexico (La Salle Cuernavaca HS/Alter Sport Center)
The first from her country to compete for the Seawolf program, Jose Prieto has qualified the last two years for the Mexican Championships.
Coach Boggasch says: "María is a very well-rounded gymnast. After seeing her development over the last competitive season, we anticipate her to be a cornerstone of our team's future depth and success across the board."

Avery Tillmanns – Martensville, Saskatchewan (Centennial Collegiate HS/Can-Am Gymnastics Club)
The fifth Canadian to join the Seawolves' 2023 roster, Tillmanns placed runner-up on bars at the WAG Artistic Western Championships this summer. She also competed for Team Saskatchewan at the 2023 Canada Winter Games.
Coach Boggasch says: "We are thrilled to welcome another top Canadian gymnast to our team. Her outstanding lines on bars, and her passion for the sport and the Seawolves will have an immediate impact on our team."