COLUMBUS, Ohio - Carey Fagan, Ohio State women's gymnastics head coach, announced the addition of three standout Level 10 gymnasts to the 2011 Buckeye squad last Tuesday. Melanie Shaffer of Pleasant Hills, Pa., Victoria Aepli of Dublin, Ohio, and Alexandra DeLuca of Longwood, Fla., will join Ohio State in the fall of 2010.

Shaffer comes to Ohio State after being one of the most highly recruited Division I gymnasts in the country for the 2011 class. Shaffer, a member of the Gemini Gymnastics squad since the fourth grade, advanced to Level 10 status early in her athletic career at just 14-years old. In high school, the honors student has recorded personal bests of a 9.650 on floor and 36.475 in the all around while also excelling on the balance beam.  Shaffer is a two-time Junior Olympic National qualifier.

Last April, Shaffer scored a 35.925 in the all-around to take 12th in the senior division at the Region 7 Level 10 Championships behind a fifth-place finish on vault (9.500) and sixth on floor (9.350).

Aepli finished eighth in the Senior B division at the 2009 Junior Olympic National Championships with a 37.375 in the all-around behind a fourth-place finish on bars (9.350) and fifth on beam (9.450). She is currently a member of Integrity Gymnastics, owned by former Ohio State men's gymnastics standout and current men's assistant coach Blaine Wilson.

In 2009, Aepli was the all around and uneven bar champion at the Region 5 Level 10 Championships scoring a 37.600 and 9.550, respectively.

DeLuca, who trains at ACE Gymnastics, comes to Ohio State with an all-around personal-best score of 37.050 as a Level 10 gymnast. A student at Lake Mary High School with at 4.25 GPA, she finished third at the 2009 Junior Olympic National Invitational Tournament with a 36.150.

DeLuca, is a five-time Level 10 Regional qualifier. In 2008, she was the Level 10 Regional floor champion.