Gymnastics: WVU Ranked No. 21
March 23, 2009 03:22 PM | General
March 23, 2009
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| Mehgan Morris |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – After one month at No. 20, the West Virginia University gymnastics team dropped to No. 21 in today’s GymInfo Poll.
WVU (15-8 overall, 10-2 EAGL) took second with 195.50 points at the 2009 EAGL Championship on March 21, in Raleigh, N.C. Though the team dropped in ranking, it improved its regional qualifying score (RQS) to 195.390. The Mountaineers own a season average of 194.934 through 11 meets.
Following strong showings on each event at the championship, WVU moved up in both the vault (No.17, 49.105 RQS) and beam (No. 33, 48.560 RQS) rankings. The team dropped in both the bars (No. 21, 48.900 RQS) and floor (No. 29, 48.950 RQS) rankings.
Senior Mehgan Morris, the 2009 EAGL bars, floor and all-around champion, moved up two spots to No. 18 on the floor ranking with a 9.890 RQS. The conference’s Outstanding Senior Gymnast is the only Mountaineer to own a top 25 national ranking.
Regionally, WVU retained its No. 3 ranking. The team also ranks No. 3 on the floor, and is No. 4 on the vault and bars, and No. 5 on the beam.
Nine Mountaineers are ranked in the top 25 in the Southeast region, with Morris and sophomore Amy Bieski paving the way with four rankings each.
Morris, a Belle, W.Va., native, is No. 5 on the floor and the all-around (39.395 RQS), No. 8 (9.865 RQS) on the bars and No. 21 (9.750 RQS) on the beam.
Bieski, a Nanticoke, Pa., native, is No. 10 (9.845 RQS) on the vault, No. 12 (9.850 RQS) on the floor, No. 13 (38.960 RQS) on the all-around and No. 23 (9.775 RQS) on the bars.
Three Mountaineers join Morris and Bieski on the bars rankings, the most represented event. Sophomore Naja Johnson ranks No. 19 (9.800 RQS), while senior Erica Watson and freshman Nicole Roach match Bieski’s No. 23 ranking. It is Watson’s first appearance in the rankings since Feb. 8.
Junior Chelsi Tabor and freshman Tina Maloney, the 2009 EAGL vault co-champions, each earned regional rankings following their wins, as Tabor is No. 5 (9.875 RQS) and Maloney is No. 21 (9.815 RQS).
Juniors Kiersten Spoerke and Shelly Purkat, the conference beam co-champion, respectively rank No. 15 (9.805 RQS) and No. 19 (9.770 RQS) on the apparatus, while Johnson ranks No. 24 (9.805 RQS) on the floor.
The Mountaineers continue to rank No. 1 in the EAGL, a position they have held all season, despite their second-place finish. The team also ranks No. 1 on the floor, and is No. 2 on the vault and bars, and No. 4 on the beam.
Morris leads the squad with three conference top 5 rankings, as she is No. 1 on the bars, the floor and the all-around. Tabor ranks No. 2 on the vault, while Bieski is No. 4 on the floor.
With conference championships completed, the Mountaineers now wait to receive their NCAA Regional seed and destination. WVU has qualified for regional competition in 30 of the last 31 years.
