Nov. 16, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Head coach Randy Jepson announced the signing of two student-athletes to the class of 2022 Thursday, Nov. 16.
The 2022 class includes two signees from the Grand Canyon State and Basha High School in Nicholas Mock (Chandlor, Ariz.) and Brady Yamamoto (Gilbert, Ariz.).
"We are thrilled and excited to have two National Champions with us who have just signed in Nick Mock on the pommel horse and Brady Yamamoto on high bar," stated head coach Randy Jepson. "The nice thing is is that they are already teammates, so they will step into our family and hit the ground running."
Mock was prepped at Basha High School and competed for the Aspire Jr. Sun Devils where he was a pommel horse and parallel bars state champion. The Chandlor, Arizona was named team MVP in 2017 and has been named a team captain for the 2018 season, after finishing second on the pommel horse at Nationals and helping his team to a state championship. Mock is also an Academic All-American and a Golden Scholar at Basha High School.
"Nick is an outstanding prospect who should do very well here in his years on the horse and some other events," noted Jepson. "We are excited to have him join our pommel horse team and he certainly brings a lot of promise there."
Yamamoto was also prepped at Basha High School and trained for the Aspire Jr. Sun Devils where he helped the team to nine state championships as a two-time all-around champion. The Gilbert, Arizona native notched a vault regional championship in 2011 before going on to be the 2013 still rings national champion. Last season, Yamamoto captured the 2017 Level 10 High Bar National Championship and has been named team captain for the 2018 season with Mock. Yamamoto is also a three-time Golden Scholar and a two-time Academic All-American.
"Brady is also very accomplished," commented Jepson. "We have a big need on high bar and he is going to fill that as well as being a multiple-event guy. He is an all-arounder and is going to pick up the slack for us in a lot of places."