Gymnastics: WVU Qualifies for 2008 NCAA Regional
March 31, 2008 07:23 PM | General
March 31, 2008
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The 2008 National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships regional selections were announced today and the West Virginia gymnastics team will compete in the 2008 NCAA Southeast Regional at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Fla., on Saturday, April 12, at 7 p.m.
No. 25 West Virginia (23-8, 16-0 EAGL) qualified as the No. 5 seed in the Southeast Region to earn their 25th NCAA Regional appearance since the NCAA first sponsored gymnastics in 1983. The Mountaineers have advanced to NCAA Nationals three times (1995, 1999, 2000).
WVU will be joined by host No. 3 Florida, No. 9 UCLA, No. 15 Nebraska, No. 21 NC State and North Carolina at the Southeast Regional.
In addition, five all-arounders and one individual event specialist per event will compete from non-qualifying teams.
The top two teams and the top two all-around competitors (who are not on an advancing team) from the Southeast Regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships in Athens, Ga., April 24-26, hosted by the University of Georgia.
Event winners at the regional championship will also advance to the national championships (in that event only) if they are not part of a qualifying team or the all-around qualifiers.
West Virginia captured the 2008 EAGL Championship on March 29, its sixth in school history but first since 2004. Junior Mehgan Morris was the EAGL individual champion on the bars (9.85) and tied as champion on floor with a 9.95. She became WVU’s first individual champion since 2005.
Southeast Region – Gainesville, Florida (University of Florida, host)
1. Florida
2. UCLA
3. Nebraska
4. NC State
5. West Virginia
6. North Carolina
All-Around Competitors
1. Brandi George, Maryland
2. Decelia Willacy, Towson
3. Christina Ghani, Towson
4. Annukka Almenoksa, Towson
5. Leslie Delima, George Washingon
Individual Event Specialists
Vault – Kristen Simpson, George Washington
Uneven Bars – Allison Dama, Maryland
Balance Beam – Talia Tossone, Maryland
Floor Exercise – Michele Brenner, Maryland
