CHANDLER — After years upon years of hard work and dedication to their sport, three gymnasts from Chandler saw their dreams come to life when they signed their athletic financial aid agreements with the University of Arizona earlier this month. Putting the pen to paper to make things official, the trio of athletes from the Valley are head over heals making their journey down I-10 to Tucson next fall.
Abygail MacKinney, JJ Schibel and Avery Tarico make up half of this year’s signing class for the Arizona GymCats. The other half consists of Avery McKay of Chapel Hill, N.C., Camryn Pennucci of Wilton, Conn., and Olivia Sawyer of Trophy Club, Texas,
“We are thrilled to welcome Abba, Avery, JJ, Olivia, Camryn, and Avery to our Wildcat family,” said head coach John Court in the university’s official press release. “From the moment we met each of them, we felt that they belonged at Arizona, would help push our team to more competitive success, and would thrive academically in Tucson. This is an exciting time for our program and we can’t wait for them to start their journey with us.”
Having three recruits from the same state, let alone those choosing to remain in-state, is rare. Having two of those recruits coming out of the same JO club program is even more of uncommon. However, the University of Arizona is taking a different approach towards building a roster; one that includes offering a number of in-state athletes in hopes of building a dominant team with a strong fanbase across the state.
The trio of local recruits will be joining freshman Hillary Puleo of Phoneix, who also trained previously with Tarico and Schibel, as well as sophomore Aubrey Krohnfeld of Mesa.
Choosing Arizona
Some girls start their recruitment process with a specific destination in mind, while for others, it’s something that just kind of all falls into place. For the trio, they felt like everything clicked the second they visited the program.
Once stepping foot on campus, the girls said they could immediately feel the magic within the program. The culture at Arizona is something all three mentioned numerous times, discussing how it felt like a family atmosphere right away, even though they were just visiting.
“The head coach, John, he made it feel more of a family and a sense of community,” MacKinney said.
“When I got to go on campus and met the team, the entire team was like that, too. It was like you were part of the family immediately even if you weren’t committed there,” Tarico said.
For Schibel, the dynamics and the culture are the entire reason she decided to commit to the program.
“I decided to sign with the University of Arizona because the team culture there is incredible,” Schibel said. “The coaches there are amazing. The girls on the team are just great. And the culture, like I said, is just something I’d love to be a part of.”
From the moment they began their visit, they knew Arizona was the place they wanted to call their future home.
Breaking down the recruitment process
For some, the recruitment process can be a breeze while for others, it’s an exhausting marathon to the finish.
MacKinney said for her, the process was easy as she knew she wanted to be a Wildcat right away. When the recruitment process officially began for her on June 15, the calls started rolling in while she was on the other side of the globe, volunteering in Africa.
“I had a couple colleges that were interested in me,” MacKinney said. “I went to a few camps that summer, but I just noticed a difference with John and U of A. He seemed to be really adamant that he wanted me on his team, so I decided really quick that U of A was my home.”
“It was very fast,” MacKinney’s coach Michelle Strang said. “It was the easiest recruitment process I’ve had with my athletes because she just really knew. She knew what she wanted.”
Things were not quite as easy for Tarico and Schibel, though.
“So originally it was really slow, on June 15, I didn’t have any calls,” Tarico said.
Although she didn’t have anyone contact her, she got to work emailing coaches and asking if they could set up a call, some of whom agreed. Her emails landed her on an official visit with the Sun Devils, but she did not continue the relationship with them afterward.
Later on at a competition, her coach gave her the number to contact the coaches at Arizona. Tarico was able to get on the phone with Court and said things took off from there.
While things were slow for Tarico, Schibel described her recruitment process as crazy.
“It was definitely one of the longer processes, as I committed in October of my senior year, which is late for some people,” Schibel said.
Schibel was in contact with other programs, but as soon as she spoke with Court, her heart was set on Arizona.
“I mean, as soon as I got on the phone with John I knew that community was something I wanted to be a part of,” Schibel said.
Trials and tribulations
Getting to the point in a sport where one is talented enough to be recruited by collegiate programs takes a ton of dedication and sacrifice. On top of the hard work and determination, one must be mentally tough to overcome obstacles popping up in the way.
Each of these three girls faced their own individual sets of road blocks they’ve had to overcome to get to this point, which makes signing their financial aid agreements so sweet.
For MacKinney, it was overcoming an ACL tear she sustained going into her freshman year of high school.
“It was devastating to see her hurt, and the long road that laid before her,” her mother, Lindsay MacKinney, said. “As a parent, it became a full-time job managing physical rehab appointments, emotional support, and finding ways for her to be there for her team.”
“We spent that whole year trying to come back,” Strang said. “We got back for her sophomore season and we got there, we got to nationals, but it was like, ‘Eh.’ Last year, the confidence was back. I feel like getting through that injury, getting through the rehab and the come back, where she’s come from and where she is now it just makes me really proud. Really proud of her.”
For Tarico, it was an ankle injury sustained around the COVID-19 pandemic setting her back in the gym.
“That was a huge thing that happened over Covid,” Shannon Tarico, Avery’s mom said.
“The culmination of being shut down and breaking an ankle, that kind of really set her back a lot at level 9, and there were just some challenges there. We didn’t know if college, even though it’s been her dream for so long, didn’t know if that was going to be in her future.”
In Schibel’s situation, it’s been playing a consistent game of catch-up.
Schibel decided to switch gymnastics programs just a few years back, and her coach said she lacked some of the basic foundations needed to keep building and progressing.
“What (JJ) came with it was like, ‘What are we doing? We are doing level seven gymnastics competing level 10,'” Schibel and Tarico’s coach Kristen Fanning said. “She’s grown so much, so like when I say she still has a way to go, the ground that she’s made in one year from last year at this time to now, is huge. So we hope to catch everything else up. We still have another year with her almost.”
Sacrifices for the end goal
In order for each of these girls to reach this point, there’s a number of sacrifices that must be made. Whether it’s missing out on family vacations or doing part of their schooling online, each has made gymnastics their top priority in order to make it to their practices. Both clubs begin at 1 p.m. and train Monday through Friday.
“Definitely missed school events or just hanging out with my friends,” JJ said. “Last year, I had to do two online classes to be able to get here, and this year I have one online class, so I do miss out, but I get to leave school early.”
“She sacrificed a lot of time,” Dana Schibel, JJ’s mom, said. “You go to school, you go to gymnastics and then you come home. But it really was worth it in the end.”
“I missed out on a lot of school activities and going to school. I go for a half day to get here at 1,” Avery said.
MacKinney also only goes to school for a half day, and says there’s a number of school events and activities she’s given up in favor of the sport.
“Other programs that I could have been a part of, something like EVIT (East Valley Institute of Technology) that I could have been a part of that I was interested in, but ultimately I was more interested in gymnastics.”
“Through the years she missed field trips, family vacations, school dances, football games, birthday parties and after school hangouts with her non-gym friends,” Lindsay said. “She poured all of her energy and heart into her training, her rehab, her nutrition and her sleep.”
Those sacrifices, while made by the gymnast, sometimes impact the entire family.
“There were definitely a bunch of family sacrifices that went into that whether it was my parents taking me to a meet, my parents driving me every day until I could drive,” JJ said.
Shannon Tarico went further into detail about what some of those sacrifices look like for the family.
“I think as a family it’s such an expensive sport, so for us, that has not been easy,” Shannon said. “We would do it again and again, but it means we haven’t been able to do all the fun vacations we’ve wanted to do. … You just make choices, and it’s been so worth it. But, definitely sacrifices for her and our family.”
Beaming with pride
On National Signing Day, both Arizona Dynamics and Gold Medal hosted their own signing day ceremonies to celebrate all of their phenomenal athletes graduating this year.
Gathering in their respective facilities, all of the younger athletes come out to watch the seniors sign their financial aid agreement. There’s tons of pictures taken and it’s a memorable event for everyone involved. For the three signees, it’s a full-circle moment, as many of them can remember being there when they were younger watching the seniors sign with their colleges.
With their family by their side, they inked their signature across the line, pledging their academic and athletic endeavors to representing the university. After everything they’ve been through, they can finally take a deep breath as the first part of their journey is complete.
Being able to sit in front of their friends and family and commit to any college, let alone the University of Arizona, brings a sense of immense pride to MacKinney, Schibel and Tarico. For each of them, the feeling they have when they wear the block A on their chest is unmatched to anything.
“It’s just such a big honor to wear the A, to wear any Arizona Wildcats apparel, anything,” Schibel said. “I mean, for me, it means the world because the opportunity to do college gymnastics doesn’t happen to everyone. People can work so hard and still not achieve their dream. And so for me, I’m just so grateful I get the opportunity to do college gymnastics and stay in Arizona and represent Arizona.”
“I think it’s such a badge of honor to be a Wildcat,” Tarico said. “If you ever see the team at a meet, they just compete fearlessly. They are so strong, and determined, and even if they had a bad turn, they’re not afraid to pick it back up and keep going.”
For the parents, watching their child live out their dreams is almost surreal.
“Oh my God, I’m going to cry,” Dana said about JJ, as she choked back tears. “I could not be any more proud or any more excited for her next chapter. It is such a massive accomplishment to do college gymnastics but to do it in her home state is the biggest honor.”
“I just am pinching myself,” Shannon said. “I just can’t believe it in so many respects. I wanted (Avery) to go where she felt led, and I’m thrilled the way it worked out and that she’s right where she wants to be.”
“It’s an amazing feeling watching your daughter achieve a dream that she has worked so hard for all these years,” Lindsay said. “We are incredibly grateful to John, (assistants) Kylie (Kratchwell), and Shelby (Martinez) for the opportunity They have given her to be a part of the Gymcat family. Without a doubt that is exactly where Abba was meant to be, we are so excited to see what the future holds for her down in Tucson.”
Contributing to the lineups
Each girl brings their own unique artistry and execution to the competition floor, and each has their personal strengths and weaknesses. For the three signees, each of them expect to contribute to the GymCats lineups in different ways.
MacKinney is anticipating to eventually compete in the all-around as her time with Arizona progresses.
“Abba’s gymnastics is beautiful,” Strang said. “Her execution level is very high, and just stunning to watch.”
In the press release, Martinez said about MacKinney, “She’s a proven competitor, an all-around talent, and an incredible human.”
MacKinney’s coach describes her as a leader in the gym and someone who doesn’t hesitate to step up to help her teammates when they’re struggling. Strang also said MacKinney is someone who doesn’t like to compete for herself, but to compete for the team.
“When she goes into those regional championships and so on, she’s more, just like nervous and stuff because she doesn’t want the attention on her,” Strang said. “So I think she’s going to be an absolutely incredible college gymnast because it is about the team. It’s about the team every single time.
Tarico is also hoping to compete in the all-around during her time as a Wildcat, and it’s something her coaches believe she can do with time as she continues working hard to keep progressing her skills and growing towards where she wants to be.
“I think Avery is going to be an all-arounder,” Fanning said. “I think she’s going to bring consistency. Her start values are high. Her wow-factor is high. I think she’s got to learn a little bit better vault, but we’re working on it. I do see her, she’s solid. When she goes out, she’s a good competitor, she’s a good show person. She’s entertaining to watch. I think she’s going to be great in the all-around.”
In Arizona’s press release, Tarico was described as having, “An undeniable spark that will light up McKale,” according to CoMartinez.
In the gym, Fanning described Tarico as a leader who has really come into her own in the last year, especially.
“The kids come to her when they’re struggling with something,” Fanning said. “If they’re struggling she doesn’t hesitate to reach out and help them. So I would say, Avery has become one of the great leaders of the gym.”
Meanwhile for Schibel, she definitely expects to contribute on beam and floor.
“JJ, for sure floor and for sure beam,” Coach Fanning said. “Vault and bars are not far from where they need to be to be competed in college either.”
Schibel rounds out the signing class.
“JJ completes our 2026 class by bringing clean, precise gymnastics to our program, specifically on both beam and floor,” Martinez said. “Her amazing work ethic has proven her to be a gymnast who will continue to grow and progress.”
When it comes to describing her personality, her spunk is unmatched in the gym.
“JJ brings the fun,” Fanning said. “JJ brings the entertainment value sometimes. She’s always dancing or she requests the weirdest songs for us to listen to.”
When the trio officially steps foot on the competition floor for the GymCats in January of 2027, they’ll bring with them quite the crowd. Not only will they have the support of all their friends and family, they’ll also have an outpouring of support from the gym members from their club days as they’ll also make the trek out to support them when they can.
“I think they’re gonna bring a hometown crowd, and that’s really exciting,” Strang said.
Academic studies and campus life
Each girl is interested in their own academic path once they step foot on campus.
MacKinney is hoping to major in exercise and nutrition with plans of eventually becoming a physical therapist. Schibel has applied to the business school and is currently waiting to hear back on her admission. Meanwhile for Tarico, she’s looking to focus on Chemistry with hopes of eventually becoming either a dentist, a physical therapist, or take a route in forensics.
While each of them is excited for the academic journey that lies ahead, they’re also thrilled to become fully immersed in campus life and get the full taste of what college is all about.
“I’m most excited for competing and being on the team and getting to experience a whole different side of gymnastics that’s different from club,” Schibel said.
“But, I’m also excited for all the friends I’m going to make and all the connections I’m going to make. … I’m also really excited for school, but I’m excited for the social aspect and to make new friends.”
“I just am kind of excited for the college experience,” Tarico said. “Yes, I’m going to be busy with gymnastics and I’m going to be busy with all of that, but I’m so excited to be on campus and the learning opportunity and freedom.”
When asked about what she was the most excited about, MacKinney said, “Probably the culture.”
“The team and family environment and the studies, the academics. I’m very excited for that, as well.”
On top of that, the girls will be getting their first taste of freedom away from home. For both them and their parents, it’s comforting to know they’re only a short drive away from home if they need something.
“I just love that it’s away but it gives her the perfect balance,” Shannon said. “It gives her some independence to spread her wings but if need be and at different times, we’ll see each other for different things, and if she needs to, she can come up. I think it’s perfect.”
“It’s just a great feeling to know we can be there for her and she can come home if she wants,” Dana said. “The fact that she’s only going to be two hours away. On the same token, she did tell me, and I quote, ‘Pretend like I’m across the country.’ And she has a sister who is, so, I’m excited for her to have that distance and be able to explore and have that college experience but know that if she needs us we’re not far.”
“Abba’s older sister attended the University of Arizona and she graduates this May, so we’ve had the unique opportunity to see what it’s like to have a student just an hour and a half away from home,” Lindsay said.
“We’re excited for Abba because it’ll give her the opportunity to enjoy the college experience, but it also gives us the chance to come and see every single home meet, or even pop down for a family dinner. The University of Arizona will truly be the best of both worlds for Abba.”
They’re also thrilled their families get to be a part of their journey, as they can attend all of the home meets at McKale.
“It’s an amazing opportunity and it really is fantastic because we’ll get to be a part of it, and go to the meets and support the team,” Dana said. “It’s truly a dream come true, not only for (JJ) but for us.”
“With U of A being so close to our home, we should be able to make it to all of the home meets,” Lindsay said. “We consider ourselves extremely blessed to be able to continue to watch our daughter do what she loves without having to travel far distances.”
Nov. 21, 2025.
Photo by Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Athletics
Nov. 21, 2025.
Photo by Rebecca Sasnett / Arizona Athletics
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