Gymnastics Takes Third At EAGL Championship
March 29, 2003
DURHAM, N.H. -- In its first of possibly three post season meets, North Carolina finished third at the eighth annual East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championship Meet at the University of New Hampshire Saturday. The host team won the competition with an EAGL meet record of 196.750, followed by NC State with a score good enough for second place in EAGL Championship history, a 196.675. The Tar Heels earned a 196.025 to finish ahead of Maryland, Towson, West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Rutgers. Carolina's score is the second highest of the year and marks the third time this year that the team has scored a 196.000 or better. Last season was the first time in the eight-year EAGL history that the Tar Heels won the League title when they set a then-meet record of 196.425. Freshman Mikel Hester led the team with an all-around score of 39.250, her second-highest career score. Hester placed in the top 20 on vault, the uneven bars and the floor exercise and placed in the top ten on floor. She tied a personal best of 9.800 on the uneven bars and set a career-high score of 9.850 on the floor exercise. Sophomore Olivia Trusty earned top ten spots in every event in which she competed. Her highest finish of the meet was a tie for fourth place on the floor exercise, leading the team with a 9.875. Freshman Courtney Bumpers, who has been fighting an ankle injury since March 11, performed well on vault (9.800) and on the floor exercise, where she tied Trusty with a 9.875 for fourth place overall and first on the team.
Senior Fritzie Cathcart, battling a knee injury that has only allowed her to compete on the uneven bars for the majority of the 2003 season, set a career-high score in the event, a 9.875. She led the Tar Heels with a fourth place finish.
With several teammates suffering injuries, including one that left the team without junior Anna Wilson, junior Maddy Curley and sophomore Amy Williams stepped up their performances in Saturday's competition. Curley placed 10th on the balance beam at the head of the Tar Heel squad with a 9.875. Her 9.850 on the floor exercise left her in seventh place, narrowly trailing Trusty and Bumpers. Williams tied for a first place spot on the team, eighth overall, on vault and set a career-high 9.825 on the balance beam. Pending selections on NCAA Regional qualifiers, Carolina hopes to compete in the Southeast Regional Meet on Sat., April 12. A decision should be made by early next week.
Team Scores
Carolina's Top Individuals
Uneven Bars
Balance Beam
Floor Exercise
All-Around * denotes personal best |
