Gymnastics: WVU Earns No. 21 Preseason Ranking
November 19, 2009 12:38 PM | General
November 19, 2009
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| Amy Bieski |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team is ranked No. 21 in the 2010 Women’s GymInfo Preseason Coaches Poll.
The only ranked squad from the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL), the Mountaineers’ ranking is four spots better than their rank of No. 25 in the final 2009 GymInfo Poll.
“This preseason ranking really says a lot about the squad we return this year,” coach Linda Burdette says. “We are excited to be ranked and believe that the jump we made from the 2009 final poll to the 2010 preseason poll shows that other teams are taking notice of the experience that returns this year.
“This ranking should serve as a motivation for the team during the last month of preseason training.”
Seven of WVU’s 2010 opponents earned rankings – No. 11 Penn State, No. 12 Michigan, No. 15 Nebraska, No. 17 Denver, No. 18 Ohio State, No. 20 Arizona and No. 24 Michigan State. Five additional opponents received votes.
Five-time reigning NCAA champion Georgia is ranked No. 1. Utah follows at No. 2, while Alabama, Florida and UCLA complete the top five.
Fourteen letterwinners return from a 2009 Mountaineer squad that went 15-8, finished second at the EAGL Championship and fourth at the NCAA Southeast Regional. Among the returnees are three conference champions – seniors Shelly Purkat (beam) and Chelsi Tabor (vault), and sophomore Tina Maloney (vault). Additionally, eight all-EAGL honorees return, including eight-time honoree and top returning point earner, junior all-arounder Amy Bieski.
Burdette returns for her 36th season at the helm with a 612-244-4 (.714) career record.
The Mountaineers open their season with their annual intrasquad Gold and Blue meet on Jan. 2 at 7 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum. WVU begins the regular season with a trip to No. 24 Michigan State on Jan. 8 for a 6 p.m. meet with No. 11 Penn State and Western Michigan.
