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University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Gymnastics Signs Three Letters of Intent
November 15, 2018 | Women's Gymnastics
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The University of North Carolina gymnastics program has announced the signing of three National Letters of Intent from Elizabeth Culton of Durham, N.C., Hallie Thompson of Waxhaw, N.C., and McKenna Appleton of Great Falls, Va.
Elizabeth Culton attends Jordan High School in Durham, N.C. where she is a straight-A student and a member of the National Honor Society. She will graduate in June 2019 and join the Tar Heels the following fall. Culton trains at Bull City Gymnastics under the guidance of Amanda & Stephen Maness.
A two-time Level 10 Junior Olympic National Qualifier, Culton is a State and Regional Beam Champion. In 2016, she placed 10th on Balance Beam at the Junior Olympic National Championships. 2018 was a particularly strong competitive year for Culton. She was the 2018 North Carolina Junior Olympic Level 10 State Champion in the All-Around, and on Uneven Bars, Balance Beam and Floor Exercise. At the 2018 Junior Olympic Regional Meet she claimed the title on Balance Beam, placed 3rd in the All-Around and advanced to the Junior Olympic National Championships. Culton tied for 9th place in the All-Around and 9th on Uneven Bars at the National Championships.
"Elizabeth is highly regarded by her teammates, coaches & everyone who knows her for her humble demeanor and positive attitude," said Galvin. "A very hard worker both academically and athletically, she strives for excellence in all that she pursues. She possesses all the qualities a coach looks for in a student-athlete."
Hallie Thompson, a Waxhaw, N.C. native, will graduate from Charlotte Latin School in June, 2019. At Charlotte Latin, Thompson has been on the Headmaster's List all four years of high school. She is trained by Ludmilla Shobe and Sofia Managadze at Southeastern Gymnastics Center in Weddington, N.C.
She is a talented gymnast on all four events with an exceptional strength on Vault and Floor Exercise. A current Junior Olympic Level 10 National Team Member, Thompson was the 2018 Junior Olympic National Champion on Vault. At that same meet she also tied for 9th place in the All-Around with future Tar Heel teammate and friend Elizabeth Culton. Thompson began her 2018 Championship run by claiming the North Carolina Junior Olympic titles in the All-Around and on Uneven Bars and Balance Beam. At the Region 8 Championships she added titles in the All-Around and on Vault & Floor Exercise, and also qualified on to the Junior Olympic National Championships. At the National Championships she earned her first National Champion title on Vault. In 2016, Thompson completed her Junior Olympic season as a Top 10 finisher at the National Championships in the All-Around, and on Vault, Uneven Bars, & Balance Beam. She preceded that achievement with Junior Olympic State and Regional titles on Vault and Floor Exercise, as she did on Vault in 2015.
"Hallie possesses a tremendous love and enthusiasm for the sport of gymnastics," Galvin stated. "She is a tenacious competitor and the ultimate teammate. Her infectious enthusiasm will be an additional energizer within our team environment, and her talents as a student-athlete will serve her well in her college career here at Carolina. Hallie and her family are a great fit with the wonderful families that make up our larger Carolina family."
McKenna Appleton recently graduated from Langley High School in Fairfax, Va. She chose to graduate early so that she could can join the Tar Heels for the spring semester of 2019. She is a very talented gymnast who has been trained under the guidance of Kelli Hill and Cynthia Smaha at Hill's Gymnastics.
Appleton possesses the skills and performance qualities to compete all four events at the collegiate level, however her strength on Uneven Bars and Balance Beam is particularly impressive. During a portion of her competitive career, while she was a 7th and 8th grade student, Appleton participated in the USA Gymnastics Elite Program along with several of her teammates at Hill's Gymnastics. In 2017, she was a qualifier and participant in the Junior Olympic National Championships and has continued as a Level 10 gymnast since then. Appleton's movement and execution on Balance Beam and Uneven Bars are complemented by her work ethic and focus on detail. Her coaches at Hill's Gymnastics have developed many successful college student-athletes, and Appleton has displayed the talent to continue that tradition while competing for the Tar Heels.
"We are very excited to have McKenna join our team for the 2019 competition season," Galvin said. "We believe she will immediately be in the running for a spot in the line-up. She has been working hard with her coaches at Hill's to get ready for the beginning of her college career, and we are eager to have her here on campus to train with her Tar Heel teammates."
Galvin and the whole Carolina gymnastics program are thrilled to welcome Appleton, Culton and Thompson to the team.
"Coaches Marie Case Denick, Emma Sibson and I are delighted that Elizabeth, Hallie and McKenna are so eager to join us here in Chapel Hill," Galvin commented. "We are very excited about the impact we believe they will have in the Carolina community."