University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
'U' Gymnastics Announces Four Signees in 2026 Class
11/12/2025 12:04:00 PM | Gymnastics
All will enroll in the summer of 2026
MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota gymnastics program has signed four student-athletes to its class of 2026, head coach Jenny Hansen announced Wednesday.
Regan Bacciocco (Milwaukee, Wis.), Avalie Brinn (Palm City, Fla.), Lindsay Pseja (Westwood, N.J.) and Julia Rausa (Vernon Hills, IL) will all join the Golden Gophers in the summer of 2026.
"We're thrilled to welcome this incredible group of student-athletes to the Gopher Gymnastics family," said head coach Jenny Hansen. "Each of them is an exceptional student, a gifted gymnast and a remarkable young woman. They represent the very best of what it means to be a Gopher — talented, driven and full of heart. This class will continue the proud tradition of excellence in our program and help take Gopher Gymnastics to the next level."
Regan Bacciocco | Salto Gymnastics Center | Milwaukee, Wis. | Brookfield East H.S.
A Milwaukee, Wis., native, Bacciocco comes to Minnesota after a stellar prep career at Salto Gymnastics Center. She signed her financial aid agreement on Nov. 12, 2025.
Coached by Brittany Solberg, Vitali Rudnitski, Julie Holden and Kristen Kremer, she won the Wisconsin State Championship on the uneven bars in 2025. Her high scores include marks of 9.850 on bars, 9.675 on beam and 9.625 on the floor.
"I chose the University of Minnesota because from the second I stepped on campus, I fell in love with the school and everything about it," Bacciocco said. "From the people to the opportunities offered both athletically and academically, the city, and the tight-knit, dedicated team culture — it all made my decision incredibly easy."
Her career accolades include a 2025 Region 4 Uneven Bars Championship, a third place all-around finish at the 2025 Region 4 Championships and an eighth place finish at the 2025 DP Nationals. She placed seventh on the uneven bars at DP Nationals in 2024. A five-time regional qualifier, she's been a nationals qualifier three times.
"Regan hails from the same gym as current Gopher Sophie Swartzmiller and is another stunning gymnast to watch," Hansen said. "She brings an incredible skill level paired with exquisite form and execution, truly shining on bars, beam and floor."
The daughter of Susan Bacciocco, she also has an identical twin sister, Erin. Erin is committed to compete in college gymnastics at Central Michigan. She owns a 4.3 GPA (4.0 unweighted) and is an honor roll student at school. She plans on majoring in international business at Minnesota.
"Some goals I have for when I get to Minnesota include contributing to the team in every way I possibly can, building lifelong friendships, and winning National Championships!"
Avalie Brinn | American Twisters Gymnastics | Palm City, Fla. | South Fork H.S.
Out of Palm City, Fla., Brinn comes to Minnesota after competing at American Twisters Gymnastics. She signed her financial aid agreement on Nov. 12, 2025.
Brinn was coached by Christy Ramirez, where she was a two-time nationals qualifier and a 2025 All-Star on the uneven bars (top-five). She was the 2025 Region 8 Champion on both uneven bars and balance beam. Brinn earned the 2023 State Championship on the uneven bars.
"There are several reasons that allowed me choose the University of Minnesota as my home," Brinn said. "First off, the team atmosphere was perfectly aligned with my values, and the positivity and encouragement coming from the coaches/gymnasts are unmatched. Not to mention, the campus itself is absolutely stunning! You can't beat a school that dedicates a whole college to biological sciences. All these together allowed me to know with certainty that this was home, and I cannot wait to be a Gopher!"
Her high scores include marks of 9.8 on the uneven bars and 9.550 on balance beam.
"Avalie's decision to graduate a year early and join the class of 2026 really completes this tremendous class," Hansen said. "She is known for her long, elegant lines and impressive difficulty and is truly beautiful to watch."
The daughter of Melissa and Sion Brinn, she has two sisters, Emerson and Talis. Her dad, Sion, swam for LSU while her mom, Melissa, swam for Wright State. Her older sister, Emerson, is committed to the University of Delaware for track and cross country. In high school, she earned an AP Scholar with Distinction award.
"Being a part of a team that values hard work and dedication inside and outside the gym is so exciting. My goal is to continue to push myself day-in and day-out, and get a little bit better every day," Brinn said.
Lindsay Pseja | Academy of Dreams Gymnastics | Westwood Regional H.S. | Westwood, N.J.
A native of Westwood, N.J., Pseja comes to Minnesota after competing for Academy of Dreams Gymnastics. She signed her financial aid agreement on Nov. 12, 2025.
Coached by Roberta Monari and Yury Timofeev, Pseja was named USAG Optional Gymnast of the Year in 2024. She was named a Region 7 All-Star in 2024 and 2025 in addition to winning Region 7 vault, uneven bars, balance beam and all-around championships in 2025. She made the Developmental National Team last year, earning a top-four placement at the National Championships.
"I loved the dynamic of the team and how welcoming the coaches and team were," Pseja said. "Additionally, the education at Minnesota is amazing, particularly in medicine and research, and the support and resources provided at Minnesota are amazing!"
Her top scores as a level 10 gymnast include marks of 39.0 in the all-around, 9.775 on vault, 9.925 on uneven bars, 9.700 on balance beam and 9.825 on the floor.
"Lindsay is a stunning gymnast to watch," said Hansen. "Everything she does, she does with grace and beauty. She shows great attention to detail while also maintaining a high level of difficulty on all events."
The daughter of Lena and Eric Pseja, she also has an older sister, Kaitlyn. Lindsay was an Honor Roll with Distinction student from 9th-11th grade in every quarter. She plans on majoring in nursing at Minnesota.
"For myself, I want to continue improving and cleaning up my skills, hopefully score a 10 one day, be consistent and clean in competitions. I want to be a part of a supportive and energetic team and to continue to push the limits, getting better each year."
Julia Rausa | Libertyville Gymnastics Academy | Vernon Hills, Ill. | Vernon Hills H.S.
A Vernon Hills, Ill., native, Rausa heads to Dinkytown after competing for Libertyville Gymnastics Academy. She signed her financial aid agreement on Nov. 12, 2025.
Rausa holds high scores of 9.675 on vault, 9.750 on uneven bars, 9.700 on balance beam and 9.775 on the floor. Her accolades include being named a two-time Region 5 All-Star (2024 and 2025) and a Region 5 balance beam champion. She was a two-time Women's Development National Team member in 2024 and 2025 and earned top-five national placements on vault, bars, beam, floor and all-around.
"From the moment I stepped onto campus, I was overwhelmed by the welcoming, inspiring and intelligent nature of the University of Minnesota," Rausa said. "When finally meeting the team, I could immediately envision myself as a part of the Minnesota women's gymnastics family. Each team member is unique from the other, yet together the team chemistry is one like none other. What stood out to me the most was the passion and genuineness of not only every single gymnast, but of the entire Minnesota community. From the university faculty, students, and athletics, there is truly a family outside of the gymnastics gym."
The daughter of Margaret and Francisco Rausa, she also has two younger sisters, Gabriella and Eva. Her mom, Margaret, competed in track and field and soccer at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. Her dad, Francisco, played tennis at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
"Julia is a joy to watch and beams of positivity in everything she does," Hansen said. "She brings a wealth of diverse experiences with her and consistently leads by example — a true inspiration and a real leader."
In high school, she is a three-time honor roll student and won the AP Scholar Award and AP Scholar Award with Distinction. She qualified for state at the History Fair Qualifier and earned the Sugarman World Languages Achievement Award. Rausa was recognized by the state of Illinois as a state scholar. She plans on majoring in biomedical engineering at Minnesota.
In addition to competing in gymnastics, she was a team captain on the Vernon Hills High School Swim and Dive team. She qualified for state in diving last year. Rausa is a three-time IHSA state qualifier for high jump in both indoor and outdoor track and field.
"It is a goal of mine to make a positive impact on the success of the team - both in gymnastics and in fostering a strong, supportive team environment. Under the guidance of the Minnesota women's gymnastics team and staff, I want to grow not only as a gymnast, but also as an individual. I'm excited to take advantage of the endless opportunities that the University of Minnesota offers to challenge myself and promote personal development," Rausa said.