European champion and silver World medalist Irina Alexeeva has announced her commitment to Stanford University and will start her degree next fall. Alexeeva will be the first Russian national WAG team member to compete in NCAA gymnastics.
So happy to announce that I will be attending Stanford University and competing on the gymnastics team as a part of the 2020 class! I’m so grateful for this opportunity and everyone who has helped me along the way!! ❤️🌲#gocard pic.twitter.com/7yCtWOWvkx
— Ira Alexeeva (@ira_alexeeva1) September 20, 2019
Alexeeva’s career on the Russian national team was brief but very successful. She started her training in Moscow, sharing a coach with Aliya Mustafina, but moved to the US with her parents at an early age. She trained at WOGA there and competed at national competitions (and represented her club at several international ones), even winning the junior AA title at the US Classic in 2016, over Emma Malabuyo and Gabby Perea.
However, without the US citizenship, Alexeeva was not able to compete at the US Championships or make the US national team. As Russian national team gymnasts normally live and train at Round Lake full time, it seemed that the path to competing for Russia was closed for her as well. However, in 2018, she competed at the Russian Championships, where she placed 7th in the all-around and won silver on bars and bronze on vault. This earned her an invitation to Round Lake and in May, she was added to the national team. As a senior in 2018, Alexeeva wasn’t quite at the level as her junior career once promised, but her steady routines, especially on beam, earned her a spot on the team for both Euros and Worlds last year.
She likely could become one of Russia’s top all-arounders this year, however, Alexeeva never returned to Round Lake after Worlds. She was added to the 2019 national team, so it’s likely she originally planned to keep competing for Russia. Nevertheless, in March, Valentina Rodionenko announced that Alexeeva was not on the national team anymore. Rodionenko cited Alexeeva’s desire to start college already in 2018. Alexeeva, however, was still in her junior year and not officially committed to any college. Since Stanford has very high academic requirements, it is more likely that living and training at Round Lake was not quite compatible with high school studies, in addition to having to spend so much time away from the family. Alexeeva has not made any public comments regarding her departure from the Russian team.
