SEATTLE (May 24) ­ Kelli Bates of Port Orchard has signed a national letter of intent to compete in gymnastics at Seattle Pacific University next season.

Bates, a senior at South Kitsap High School, took third place on floor exercise and fourth in the all-around YMCA National Championships last year and her club, Grace Gymnastics of Lakewood, won the team title for the third year in a row. She is a three-time YMCA All-American.

At the regional level, Bates won the Level 9 all-around, and was second on floor and third on beam in 2005. She was a three-time Level 9 Western National qualifier.

Seattle Pacific won the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship this past season and finished eighth in the USA Gymnastics Collegiate Championships for teams competing at the NCAA Division II level.