Gymnast: Lexie Priessman

Lexie Priessman was the 2012 US junior national champion, and was age-eligible to compete in senior meets starting in 2013.

Thirteen-year-old Priessman first earned national attention at the first Nastia Liukin Cup in 2010. She won the meet, finishing with a clutch beam set, stocked with difficult skills including a full-in dismount. The meet was televised on Universal Sports and Priessman was interviewed the next day on NBC during the American Cup.

Also competing at the 2010 Nastia Liukin Cup? Future 2012 Olympic all-around champion Gabby Douglas. Douglas ended up fourth all-around.

Priessman won the all-around and floor, and placed second on vault and beam at the 2012 US junior nationals in St. Louis, Mo. She earned first overall by .55 over Madison Desch -- a substantial margin of victory.

It's tough to be the junior national champ in an Olympic year, because a gymnast, already close to the top of her game, must wait another four years before getting an Olympic opportunity. But the two previous Olympic-year junior champions, Jordyn Wieber (2008) and Nastia Liukin (2004) have gone on to excel at the Olympics four years later. Priessman has the talent to do the same, and will be looked upon as a world team contender and potential senior national all-around champion in 2013.

Priessman has already verbally committed to the University of Georgia for the 2015-2016 season.

Lexie Priessman has mounted with a double-twisting double tuck on floor, and dismounted with a tucked full-in (at 1:32).

On bars, Priessman has done a full-twisting double layout dismount, and on beam, she's a thrown a standing tucked full (at :20) and a full-in dismount.

Priessman competes an Amanar vault.

Alexis Amber Priessman was born January 23, 1997 in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Kraig and Vickie Priessman. She has two sisters, Jenna and Leah, and a brother, Nicholas.

Priessman started gymnastics at age five and has trained her entire career at Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy. She is coached by Mary Lee Tracy, former coach of 1996 Olympic gold medalists Amanda Borden and Jaycie Phelps. Priessman names vault as her favorite gymnastics event, and says her favorite gymnast is 2008 Olympic all-around champ Nastia Liukin. Priessman's Twitter account is @lpriessman2015, her Facebook fan page is here and her official website is gym-style.com/lexie.

International:

• 2012 City of Jesolo Trophy, Jesolo, Italy - 1st-Team, AA, VT; 2nd-UB; 3rd-FX (Jr. Div.)
• 2012 Kellogg's Pacific Rim Championships, Everett, Wash. - 1st-Team, VT; 2nd-AA; 4th-UB; 6th-BB (Jr. Div.)
• 2011 Japan Junior International, Yokohama, Japan - 1st-AA, VT, UB, FX; 7th-BB
• 2011 City of Jesolo Trophy, Jesolo, Italy - 1st-Team, VT; 4th-AA, FX; 5th-UB (Jr. Div.)

National:

• 2012 Visa Championships, St. Louis, Mo. - 1st-AA, FX; 2nd-VT, UB (Jr. Div.)
• 2012 Secret U.S. Classic, Chicago, Ill. - 1st-FX; 3rd-BB(T); 4th-AA; 5th-UB; 6th-VT (Jr. Div.)
• 2011 Visa Championships, Saint Paul, Minn. - 1st-VT; 2nd-FX; 4th-AA; 7th-UB(T) (Jr. Div.)
• 2011 CoverGirl Classic, Chicago, Ill. - 1st-VT; 2nd-AA, FX; 3rd-BB; 8th-UB(T) (Jr. Div.)
• 2010 Visa Championships, Hartford, Conn. - 2nd-VT; 7th-FX (Jr. Div.)
• 2010 CoverGirl Classic, Chicago, Ill. - 2nd-VT(T); 6th-AA, FX; 8th-UB (Jr. Div.)
• 2010 Nastia Liukin Supergirl Cup, Worcester, Mass. - 1st-AA

Other Top American Gymnasts:
Jordyn Wieber
McKayla Maroney
Kyla Ross
Gabby Douglas
Sarah Finnegan