BUTLER TWP — Perseverance has paid off for three members of the Butler Gymnastics Club.

Seneca Valley seniors Dusty Cranmer and Jessica Suder, and Moniteau senior Chad Wiest have accepted scholarships to Division I schools and will continue their gymnastics careers.

Cranmer is headed to the University of Iowa, Suder to Central Michigan University and Wiest to the University of Illinois.

All three collegiate programs have been national contenders, and the head coach of each team has been on the job for at least 20 years.

"It's unbelievable for three gymnasts to get Division I opportunities out of here in the same year," Butler Gymnastics Club girls coach Steve Heasley said. "We had three in the past 15 years before this.

"There are so few scholarships available and there are 200 to 300 (high-school age) gymnasts competing at nationals every year."

Eddie Hay signed with Ohio State University last year. Terry Trimbur (Connecticut-Bridgeport) and Amanda Halovanic (West Virginia) are other recent Division I gymnasts from the Butler club.

Suder placed second in the state meet on the balance beam last season and was fifth in the regional. She missed qualifying for the national meet by three one-hundredths of a point.

"We talked to seven or eight college coaches about Jessica," Heasley said. "They asked about her training habits and whether she's peaked yet.

"What they like most is that she's still learning new skills."

Involved in gymnastics since she was a small child, Suder practices four hours a day, five days a week.

Central Michigan finished sixth in the NCAA West Regional last year and has won 10 Mid-American Conference women's gymnastics titles since 1990. The Chippewas were 30-6-1 two years ago, tying for second in the regional.

Coach Jerry Reighard is in his 21st year as Central Michigan's coach.

"I made an official visit up there and hung out with the team," Suder said. "I felt like I fit in.

"I just want to continue my development and help the team win a championship."

Fellow Seneca Valley senior Cranmer wants to do the same at Iowa. Coach Tom Dunn is in his 25th year with the Hawkeyes, and he sports a 187-79-2 record. Dunn has coached 58 All-Americans and 19 Big Ten champions.

Ranked seventh in the nation last year, Iowa has produced 11 individual NCAA champions.

Cranmer finished second in parallel bars with a score of 9.550 at the national meet in Houston.

"Just keep going and maybe be part of a national championship team," Cranmer said of his collegiate goals. "I know I can get a lot better.

"I knew I was fighting the odds, but my goal always was to get a scholarship in gymnastics."

Only 20 Division I schools offer scholarships in men's gymnastics.

"I'm so happy for these guys," said Butler Gymnastics Club men's coach Kevin Hallinan. "They've definitely put in the work and the effort.

"They really wanted it and they went out and got it."

Wiest placed fifth at nationals in floor exercise with a 9.30 last year. He's put in 3½ hours of practice, six days a week for the past five years.

Illinois finished third in the NCAA Championships last year. Coach Yoshi Hayasaki is in his 28th year there and sports a 230-127-1 overall record.

Hayasaki guided Illinois to the 1989 men's gymnastics national championship, the school's only national title in any sport in 30 years, and has coached 45 All-Americans, 34 Big Ten champions, four national champions and two Olympians.

"I've been competing since I was 5, and I still like the sport," Wiest said. "I like the challenge. I enjoy trying to keep up with the competition.

"My goal is to be part of a national championship team and be a national champion myself."

Hallinan described Wiest as "a strong, confident performer." He said Cranmer has "excellent form and good execution.

"These guys don't buckle down to pressure," he said. "They can get the job done that's needed and, they're still hungry. That's why I don't think their success in this sport is over."