Utah gymnastics coach Greg Marsden made a trip to Tucson last year just to get Regina Mueller-Martin off his back.
Marsden, who has led the University of Utah to 10 national championships in 36 years, was skeptical what he'd find here, but the persistent phone calls from the Tumbleweeds Gymnastics coach piqued his interest.
Mueller-Martin's message was simple: Come see Amphitheater High School's Kassandra Lopez.
"Gina and I have known each other for many years and a couple of years ago, she started telling me about Kassandra," Marsden said. "She just kept pushing me and pushing me. Finally, to get her off my back, I came down to take a look.
"I was blown away."
Marsden eventually asked Lopez to visit Salt Lake City and check out the Utah program. He had a scholarship available.
Lopez was in disbelief.
"Knowing how great their program is, I just couldn't believe they wanted me," said Lopez, the 2010 USA Gymnastics Arizona Gymnast of the Year.
Once reality set in, Lopez visited Utah the next weekend and committed on the spot.
On Wednesday, nearly a year after her visit, Lopez signed her letter of intent, marking the early signing period for athletes.
"When I was younger, gymnastics just started out as me being a little kid wanting to do a sport," Lopez said. "It looked like fun, and I could do cartwheels. To think I've gone from there to now signing with the best program in the country is amazing."
Here's how amazing: Utah averaged 14,213 fans at home meets last season and has qualified for every national championship meet since 1976. They've never finished worse than 10th.
It didn't hurt that the university has two on-campus hospitals, perfect for the future pre-med major, who is ranked third in her graduating class.
"I love everything about (Utah)," Lopez said. "The gymnastics is amazing. They have amazing tradition. I love the coaches and felt so comfortable with them, and the pre-med program is huge because I want to go into oncology."
Lopez, who began competing at age 9, will likely head to Utah near the end of June.
"She's really everything we look for in an athlete," Marsden said. "She has really blossomed the last few years, and we feel like she's someone who is coming into her own at just the right time. She's enjoying some success, but she didn't achieve it so early that she's burnt out on it. She's someone who will come in and eventually be a team leader."
Other notable signings on Wednesday:
At Catalina Foothills, baseball standout Reid Hunter signed his letter of intent with Northwestern. He has not visited the campus in Evanston, Ill., but the third baseman, who hit .374 as a junior, is confident in his decision.
"I'm officially going to visit this weekend, but I knew it was the place for me," Hunter said. "Academics is the biggest thing for me, and at Northwestern, there seems like a healthy balance between academics and baseball."
Joining him at the signing ceremony at Foothills was softball player Elise Samoy-Alvarado. Alvarado signed with Villanova out of the Big East Conference.
"I have a lot of family back East, so it's exciting that I'm getting a chance to play near all of them," Samoy-Alvarado said. "This is an amazing feeling."
At Canyon del Oro, Division II state champion golfer Gentry Hicks signed his letter of intent with Utah. The senior was searching for a home and after his state win, the Utes came after him hard.
"It was fun to be recruited, and for someone to want you to go there," Hicks said. "Also, them moving to the new Pac-12 was a big factor. It will be neat to be the first generation of Pac-12 athletes, and they have three Tucson trips on their schedule already."
TAKING IT TO A HIGHER LEVEL
Southern Arizona athletes who have signed or will sign letters of intent during the early signing period.
Player High school Sport College
Desaray Akins Sunnyside Softball Utah
Kristin Byers Flowing Wells Volleyball Mississippi State
Michaela Christiaansen Ironwood Ridge Volleyball Pepperdine
Dani Colwill Ironwood Ridge Softball North Alabama
Courtney Dangremond Sabino Swimming UNC-Wilmington
Kory DeBerry Sunnyside Wrestling Arizona State
Chelsea Dohrwardt Tucson Softball New Mexico State
Meghan Finley Ironwood Ridge Volleyball Texas Wesleyan
Mattie Fowler Canyon del Oro Softball Nebraska
Kayla Henry Canyon del Oro Softball Grand Canyon
Gentry Hicks Canyon del Oro Golf Utah
Reid Hunter Catalina Foothills Baseball Northwestern
Laura Jabczenski Catalina Foothills Golf Northern Arizona
Emily Lai Catalina Foothills Soccer Arizona
Ricky Lee Salpointe Catholic Golf Arizona
Kassandra Lopez Amphitheater Gymnastics Utah
Brandon Matthews Ironwood Ridge Baseball Arizona
Erin McClure Catalina Foothills Golf Seton Hall
Matt McClure Salpointe Catholic Golf Pacific
Alex McMahon Ironwood Ridge Golf Arizona
Louie Murrillo Sunnyside Wrestling Arizona State
LeighAnne Oliver Sabino Swimming Utah
Cole Puchi Catalina Foothills Swimming Boston University
Gabi Ruiz Salpointe Catholic Softball Harvard
Elise Samoy-Alvarado Catalina Foothills Softball Villanova
Michelle Snyder Catalina Foothills Volleyball Columbia
Cashala Thompson Sahuaro Basketball Florida A&M
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