Gymnastics: 2009 Squad Opens Official Practice
September 10, 2008 04:21 PM | General
September 10, 2008
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| Linda Burdette |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The 2009 West Virginia University gymnastics team opens its season with its first official practice on Thursday, Sept. 11, at Cary Gym.
“We have been looking forward to the open of official practice because we can now direct the workouts,” says Head Coach Linda Burdette. “The coaches can now start setting the tone for what we expect for this season, developing the student-athletes’ skills and making the changes that we need to make.
“The team has worked really hard during preseason. As a coach, that makes me excited because I think they will only get better during the official practice season.”
The squad enters the year as the defending East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) champion, the team’s first championship since 2004 and sixth overall. The Mountaineers (23-8 overall, 16-0 EAGL) finished fourth at the 2008 NCAA Southeast Regional with 194.825 points, their 25th NCAA Regional appearance since 1983. Additionally, WVU earned its sixth 20-win season in the last eight years.
Burdette returns for her 35th year at the helm of the Mountaineers. The three-time EAGL Coach of the Year boasts a career record of 597-236-4 and a .715 career-win percentage.
The Mountaineers return 14 letterwinners from last season, including senior Mehgan Morris and junior Ashley Wilson, this season’s captains.
WVU opens its season with the Gold/Blue meet on Jan. 3, 2009, at 7 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum.
