The United States won the team titles for both the junior and senior divisions at the Italy-Spain-Poland-USA friendly competition in Jesolo, Italy.

The USA bested runner-up Italy, 179.050 to 177.950. Spain was third at 151.050, with Poland scoring 150.100. The women on the USA’s senior squad were: Sam, Jana Bieger, Olivia Courtney, Chelsea Davis, Bridget Sloan, and Shawn Johnson.  In the all-around, Shawn Johnson and Sam were the front runner's for team USA.  Shawn placed first in the all around (61.700), Vanessa Ferrari from Italy was second (60.100) and Sam placed third (59.050)!

Congratulations Sam!

This past weekend Sam traveled to New York City to compete in the Tyson American Cup. Team USA included Sam, Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, and Shayla Worley.

Sam had a stellar showing at the American Cup yesterday in Madison Square Garden.  She started off on vault and performed her usual yurchekno double twist and scored a 15.150 (the second highest vault score).  On uneven bars, Sam looked much improved and performed a new combination (giant 1.5 to jaeger) with a new dismount (full twisting double layout) and scored a career high, 15.425!  Next was beam and Sam certainly performed an excellent routine!  She connected all of her skills very smoothly and looked solid and confident throughout which scored her another career high score of a 16.100!  Sam finished out the meet on floor exercise and scored another great score, 15.400.  With an all around score of 62.075, Sam placed third in the all around behind teammates Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson.

Congratulations Sam!

A recent interview with Access Hollywood is now available online www.accesshollywood.com.  Sam answers a few questions about the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as well as some personal fun facts!

Sam has recently made appearances on the cover of Inside Gymnastics Magazine and International Gymnast Magazine.  She also appeared on the cover of Cathedral Highlights Magazine which also did a featured article on Sam.  Visit in the media to see the magazine covers and to read the article.

Sam and Bridget Sloan were named Indiana’s top athletes of 2007 in the elite female category by the Indianapolis Star. This is the 10th annual year that the Indianapolis Star has named the top athletes with Indiana ties. Athletes are given gold, silver and bronze "medals" in six categories: elite female and male, college female and male, and high school female and male.
CLICK HERE TO READ USAG'S PRESS RELEASE

And lastly, the U.S. Women’s World Championships Team was selected as the 2007 U.S. Olympic Committee's Team of the Year for its accomplishments at the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.  The USOC SportsMan and SportsWoman of the Year awards have been presented annually since 1974 to the top overall male and female athlete from within the USOC member organizations. The team award was added in 1996 and the Paralympian of the Year was awarded for the first time in 2004. Winners are selected from the individual female and male athlete of the year and team of the year nominations of the USOC and National Governing Bodies for the Olympic, Pan American, Affiliated and Disabled Sports Organizations within the U.S. Olympic Movement.
click here to read usag's press release