Gymnastics Excited to Announce Six Newcomers

MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State gymnastics head coach Joanna Saleem is excited to announce the six standout student-athletes who will join the program in the fall of 2022.

Set to become Cardinals next fall are Kenna Geibel (Garnet Valley, Pa./Garnet Valley), Aislyn LaBadie (Hatfield, Penn./North Penn), Zoe Middleton (Smyrna, Del./Smyrna), Olivia Rickle (Findlay, Ohio/Liberty-Benton), Alauna Simms (Ooltewah, Tenn./Boyd Bychanan), and Karah Vargo (Fort Myers, Fla./Lee Virtual School).

"This is always a fun time of the year, and we can't wait to welcome our future Gym Cards to the family," Saleem said. "It has been an exciting fall and I am thrilled to have this strong group of young women join our program next year. They are all passionate about Ball State and our goals for competitive excellence in the classroom and on the competition floor. I am energized that each of these ladies will bring a unique background and strength to the team, and yet all are looking forward to working together as a team."

Name Hometown (High School) Club
Kenna Geibel                           Garnet Valley, Pa. (Garnet Valley)         Stallone's Gymnastics

Saleem on Geibel: Kenna is a super sweet person, that can stand up for herself and what she believes in. She is compassionate yet embodies a no-nonsense personality and approach to life and her training. She sets and achieves goals through persistence, hard work and dedication. While watching her train, you quickly notice that she is the one who is quietly getting things done in the background. Her amazing family and the fact that she has four brothers, gives her a real-life understanding the complexities of teamwork and compromise. She is a powerful and dynamic vaulter who will make an immediate impact as a freshman. She competes with herself daily and takes advantage of every opportunity to get better.

Career Highlights: Advanced to the 2021 Region 7 Level 10 Regionals … Eastern Gymnastics Championships national qualifier in 2018 and 2019 … owns career-best Level 10 marks of 34.850 in the all-around, 9.700 on vault, 9.525 on floor and 8.775 on bars.

Why Ball State: I felt like I was at home at Ball State and felt really comfortable there. I connected really well with the gymnastics team and coaches and loved their sense of family and togetherness. I was extremely impressed with the athletic and academic departments.

Name                                       Hometown (High School) Club
Aislyn LaBadie                         Hatfield, Penn. (North Penn)                   Central Bucks

Saleem on LaBadie: Aislyn is an exciting addition to the Cardinal family. Her easy-going, vibrant personality will fit right in with our team. As an all-around athlete who is committed to growth, she will continue to raise the bar for our program. She is passionate about academics and being part of something greater than herself. I look to see her make an immediate impact on all four events. She performs a 10.0 start value vault, which gives her an opportunity from day one to strengthen our vault line-up. She is a captivating gymnast with unique combination of elegant lines and dynamic presentation.

Career Highlights: A two-time National Qualifier (2019 & 2021) … placed third in the all-around at the 2021 Region 7 Level 10 Regional Championships … owns career-best Level 10 marks of 37.425 in the all-around, 9.65 on floor, 9.50 on bars, 9.425 on beam, and 9.325 on vault.

Why Ball State: I chose Ball State because of the welcoming coaching staff, positive team atmosphere and great academics; as well as the beautiful campus.

Name Hometown (High School)                         Club
Zoe Middleton                        Smyrna, Del. (Smyrna)                               First State

Saleem on Middleton: Zoe brings a wealth of top-level experience to our program. Having competed at The Nastia Cup and on the Junior Olympic National Team, Zoe has a broad perspective of competitive excellence. She is a powerful gymnast with dynamic, high-level skills. Her beam routine is gorgeous and captivating. While at first, she may come across as soft spoken, she is indeed a driven powerhouse that is dedicated to being successful in the classroom and on the competition floor. Her overall understanding of the sport and her life experiences will certainly be an asset to our program. She is excited to for the opportunity to join a college team and be surrounded by people that support personal growth and team success.

Career Highlights: 2020 Level 10 Delaware State Qualifier … competed at the 2019 Women's Junior Olympic National Championships, placing second in the all-around and vault, while placing fifth on floor … placed ninth in the all-around at the 2019 Nastia Liukin Cup … took second on vault, third in the all-around, third on floor, and fourth on beam at the 2019 Level 9 Eastern Championships.

Why Ball State: I chose Ball State because of the beautiful campus and the comforting home-like feel to the college and gymnastics team.

Name Hometown (High School) Club
Olivia Rickle                              Findlay, Ohio (Liberty-Benton)                Integrity Athletics

Saleem on Rickle: Olivia comes from a large family and is not intimidated by hard work. She is a super positive and bubbly person who is also quite the jokester. Described as "nice as pie", she is going to fit right in with our Cardinal family. Her combination of compassion for others and attention to detail will make for a smooth and successful transition into collegiate gymnastics. In the gym, she gets things done! Her floor skills are explosive and powerful, and she will bring a spunky and spirited floor routine to The Nest. She is a consistent and aggressive beam worker who has some fun skills that our fans are going to enjoy watching.

Career Highlights: Crowned the Region 5 Level 9/10 Regional Floor Champion with a score of 9.600, while also tying four fourth on beam, placing fifth on bars and earning sixth in the all-around … Competed at the 2021 Level 10 National Championships … owns career-best Level 10 marks of 37.175 in the all-around, 9.600 on floor, 9.550 on beam, 9.500 on vault, and 9.200 on bars … 2018 Level 9 Eastern Gymnastics Championships … club's most valuable gymnast from 2015-2019.

Why Ball State: I chose Ball State because I loved the campus and what the school had to offer. I felt at home with the athletic program that I am going to join next Fall. I really liked the team and coaching staff, as well as the goals and standards they set for themselves. I know they work hard both in the gym and classroom and I am really excited to see what I accomplish here!

Name                                        Hometown (High School) Club
Alauna Simms                          Ooltewah, Tenn. (Boyd Buchanan)       Gymnastics Center of Chattanooga

Saleem on Simms: Alauna has a fun, kind spirit, and is super easy to be around. She is also one of the hardest working and persistent young ladies I have met in a while. It is invigorating to see her passion for both her own development and her desire to inspire those around her. This is an amazing asset and will be a positive contribution to our program. She is the definition of team player, and we are all eager for her to become part of our family. She is a natural athlete and has also played softball, giving her experience being part of a team sport. Her gymnastics is aggressive and fun to watch with loads of potential. Her presentation on floor is captivating and will quickly become a crowd favorite.

Career Highlights: 2021 Level 10 Regional Qualifier … placed seventh in the all-around, fifth on vault and bars, and sixth on floor at the 2021 Level 10 Tennessee State Championship Meet … advanced to the 2019 Level 9 Eastern Gymnastics Championships where she placed seventh on vault and 13th on bars … owns career-best Level 10 marks of 36.450 in the all-around, 9.400 on vault, 9.350 on floor, and 9.250 on bars.

Why Ball State: I chose Ball State because of its strong academics and exercise science program. It has a great gymnastics program with a positive and family-like team atmosphere and environment. Ball State's campus is beautiful and will be a great fit for me.

Name                                       Hometown (High School) Club
Karah Vargo                             Fort Myers, Fla. (Lee Virtual School)    Golden City Gymnastics

Saleem on Vargo: Karah's eagerness to learn and be part of a team is contagious. She has a positive outlook on the world and understands the commitment needed for growth. I am looking forward to her team spirit and the passion she shows for Ball State. She has a "go-getter" personality type that isn't afraid to try new things. She is going to develop and grow in the team environment, and I can't wait for her to be part of that process here in Muncie. She is a well-rounded individual that will bring depth and unique skills to our program.

Career Highlights: Four-time TOPs National Team Member … placed ninth in the all-around at the 2021 Florida State Meet, while also trying for sixth on bars, placing eighth on vault and earning ninth on beam … owns career-best Level 10 marks of 37.300 in the all-around, 9.450 on floor, 9.450 on vault, 9.425 on beam, and 9.350 on bars.

Why Ball State: I chose Ball State because I loved the campus.

Related Videos