ATHENS, Ga. --- The three-time defending NCAA Champion Georgia Gym Dogs signed three gymnasts to national letters-of-intent, the coaching staff announced Thursday. Amber Trani (Richlandtown, Pa.), Gina Nuccio (Naperville, Ill.) and Kathryn Ding (Reno, Nev.) all will attend the University of Georgia as freshmen for the 2009 season.

"Whenever you lose a senior class that has done the things that our current seniors have, it is imperative that you replace them with the quality of individuals that we feel we have signed here today,” head coach Suzanne Yoculan said. “Each of these three have exhibited an enthusiasm for Georgia that is so important to us in the recruiting process. Their gymnastics abilities complement each other in much the same way as the class they replace, and thus far, they have exhibited that same level of character that we have come to expect from our student-athletes. We expect Amber, Gina, and Kat to help us maintain our tradition of excellence, and they have enthusiastically accepted that challenge."

Amber Trani, a Senior International Elite from Parkettes Gymnastics who trains under Bill and Donna Strauss, will come to Athens from her hometown of Richlandtown, Pa. Just this past summer, Trani represented the United States in the Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she helped the team to a first-place finish and took second-place vault honors. She placed in the top 10 on both floor and vault in the 2007 U.S. Nationals prelims and seventh on floor in the finals. In all, she has finished first or second on vault in four meets in 2007.

"Amber is one of the most powerful athletes we have seen here in quite some time,” Yoculan said. “Her vault and floor are explosive and will most assuredly bring the crowd to their feet when she hits the floor in Stegeman Coliseum. She comes off as a quiet personality, but do not be deceived, Amber has a chance to be a major player in the all-around for her entire career here at UGA."

Gina Nuccio also joins the Gym Dogs by way of Naperville, Ill. Nuccio, a Level 10 Competitor from Arena Gymnastics in Joliet, Ill., where she trains under Dan and Beth Miller, is a two-time Junior Olympic National All-Around Champion. She also was named 2007 Region 5 Junior Olympic Athlete of the Year for her accomplishments. In addition to her all-around championship, Nuccio also finished first on vault and bars, second on floor and third on beam in her division.

"Gina is without a doubt going to be a crowd pleaser,” Yoculan commented. “She has a confidence and a poise about her that is contagious to everyone around her. Gina has no real weaknesses in her gymnastics and couples that with a natural leadership ability that raises the bar for everyone. She decided early on, as did Amber, that UGA was where she wanted to be. That kind of Bulldog enthusiasm is usually a sign of great things to come."

Reno, Nev., native Kathryn Ding rounds out the Gym Dogs signing class. Ding is a former elite and Junior Olympic National Team member from FLIPS USA, where she trains under Susie Otuaffi. In 2007 she finished fifth on the uneven bars at the Level 10 Nationals as a Senior A. As a Junior C in 2006, she was second in the all-around, first on the uneven bars, second on the balance beam and eighth on the floor.

"Kat is a gymnast that we knew we needed to have because of her spunk and fight,” Yoculan said. “She has that certain grit as a competitor that lets everyone know that she will fight to win. Those are qualities that cannot be taught and that every team needs. Couple that with her fantastic gymnastics talent, and we think we have a real gem in Kat. We expect her to shine early as an all-arounder, and in particular on the uneven bars."