North Stars Gymnastics athletes earn national title, top finishes at USA Gymnastics championships
BOONTON, N.J. (Morris County) — North Stars Gymnastics Academy capped off another successful Level 10 season with a national champion, multiple podium finishes and several top-10 results at the 2026 USA Gymnastics Development Program National Championships in Oklahoma City.
The Boonton-based program also posted strong results at the Level 9 Eastern Championships in Savannah, Georgia, competing against some of the top gymnasts from across the eastern United States.
The USA Gymnastics Development Program National Championships represent the highest level of competition for Level 10 gymnasts, bringing together qualifiers from across the country following state and regional championships.
Representing Region 7, North Stars sent one of the nation’s largest qualifying Level 10 groups to the championships after leading the region in qualifiers this season.
Emma Roppatte, 17, of Essex Fells, captured a national title on balance beam with a score of 9.700, tying for first place in her age division. Roppatte also scored a 9.600 on uneven bars and tied for 26th in the all-around competition with a 37.525. She is verbally committed to Arizona State University.
Maxine Cometa, 15, of Leonia, earned a runner-up national finish on uneven bars with a 9.825, one of the highest scores recorded by a North Stars gymnast at the meet. She also placed 22nd in the all-around with a 37.350.
Teneil Turnbull, 15, of Fairview, finished 15th nationally in the all-around with a 37.775 and tied for ninth on floor exercise with a 9.575.
Lexi Miller, 12, of Montville, tied for eighth on floor exercise with a 9.525 and tied for 12th on balance beam.
Senior Mariyah Aranbayev, 17, of Jamaica Estates, Queens, N.Y., concluded her club gymnastics career by tying for ninth on vault with a 9.775. She also placed 14th on balance beam and 34th in the all-around. Aranbayev will continue her gymnastics career at Rutgers University on a full athletic scholarship.
Stella Fischer, 16, of Bridgewater, delivered steady performances across all four events, highlighted by a tie for 15th on balance beam, and finished 27th in the all-around with a 37.425.
Sophia Betz, 13, of East Hanover, also competed at the national championships, finishing with a 36.300 all-around score.
Jamie McDonough competed in the All-Star division and earned a ninth-place finish on uneven bars with a 9.575. She is verbally committed to the University of Alabama.
“Our athletes competed with confidence and composure on the biggest stage of the Level 10 season,” said North Stars Owner and Head Coach Ashley Umberger. “To qualify this many gymnasts to nationals is already an incredible accomplishment, but to come home with national champions, podium finishes and so many top-15 placements shows the depth of talent and work ethic in our program.”
At the Level 9 Eastern Championships, Taylor Schlow, 13, of Warren, tied for the Eastern Championship title on uneven bars with a 9.525. She also placed fourth on vault with a 9.625 and ninth in the all-around with a 37.000.
Ingrid Kim, 11, of New Hope, Pennsylvania, placed fourth on uneven bars with a 9.425 and finished 11th in the all-around with a 36.875.
Mia Rogers, 12, of Scarsdale, New York, earned third place on balance beam with a 9.575, sixth on floor exercise with a 9.375 and seventh in the all-around with a 37.075.
Eastern Championships feature Level 9 gymnasts from Regions 5 through 8 and represent the highest level of competition for Level 9 athletes in the eastern United States.
“They each embraced the moment in high-pressure environments, trusted their training and competed with great maturity. It’s an exciting future for our program,” Umberger said.
In addition to Umberger, a former two-time U.S. Women’s Gymnastics National Team member, North Stars athletes are coached by Melissa Jones, Crystal Doherty and professional dance coach Miguel Solano of Complexions Ballet in New York City.
