Aug. 8, 2007

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State gymnastics head coach Kathie Klages announced Wednesday that Nicole Heikkila (Northview Heights Secondary School/Toronto, Ontario) has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Michigan State this fall.

Below is information on Heikkila:
Graduate of Northview Heights Secondary School in Toronto, Ontario... Competed with the Sport Seneca Gymnastics team for coaches Carol Angela Orchard, Brian McVey, Lawson Hamer and Lisa Cowan... Competed in senior open category at 2007 Canadian National Gymnastics Meet, finishing fifth in the all-around and helping team to a gold medal... Represented Ontario at the Canada Winter Games in March of 2007, earning a bronze medal on the balance beam... Ontario Provincial Gymnastics All-Around Senior Champion (2006)... Member of the Canadian National Artistic Gymnastics team (2003 - 2005)... Canadian National All-Around Novice Champion (2003)... Canadian National Floor and Uneven Bars Novice Champion (2003)... Has competed in numerous international competitions, including meets in Slovenia, Belgium and England.

"Nicole (Heikkila) is an awesome addition to our 2007 recruiting class," Klages said. "She is a world class athlete on bars and balance beam, and we anticipate that she will make an immediate impact to our program. In combination with the rest of the incoming class and our current team, Nicole will help move the MSU program to the national prominence we have been striving for."

"I was actually planning on retiring from gymnastics at the age of 16 and attending a Canadian University this fall," Heikkila said, "but through a combination of my love of gymnastics and the excellent and warm welcome from Michigan State, I'm excited about being a Spartan."

Please visit msuspartans.com for further updates and information on the 2008 MSU gymnastics team.