Gymnastics: WVU Sits at No. 20
March 09, 2009 03:35 PM | General
March 9, 2009
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| Mehgan Morris |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team is nationally ranked No. 20 in today’s GymInfo Poll, marking the third-straight week the Mountaineers have earned the ranking.
WVU (8-7 overall, 4-1 EAGL) boosted its regional qualifying score (RQS) to 195.105, thanks to its season-best score in a 196.225-195.925 loss to then-No. 19 Penn State on Sunday, March 8. Through nine meets, the Mountaineers hold an average of 194.872.
The Mountaineers have scored five straight 195.000-plus scores this season, a feat unmatched since 2004, when WVU scored 195.000-plus in 11-of-12 meets and not only won the EAGL Conference Championship, but also finished fourth at the NCAA Southeast Regional.
The team rebounded from last week’s slip in the rankings, improving its RQS in three of the four events. WVU is ranked No. 17 on the vault (49.025 RQS), No. 21 on the uneven bars (48.815 RQS) and No. 34 on the balance beam (48.430 RQS). The squad dropped from No. 18 to No. 26 (48.905 RQS) on the floor.
While none of the Mountaineers earned an individual national ranking this week – a season-first – two improved their RQS’s.
After earning her first 9.90 score of the season, junior Chelsi Tabor pushed her vault RQS to 9.865, but dropped in the rankings from No. 22 to No. 27.
Senior Mehgan Morris retained her 9.860 floor RQS, but slipped 14 spots from No. 20 to No. 34 in this week’s rankings.
Regionally, the Mountaineers remain No. 3 in the Southeast, behind No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Florida (196.530 RQS); the Gym Dogs (197.210 RQS) are the No. 1 team in the nation. WVU is regionally ranked No. 3 on the bars and floor, No. 4 on the vault and No. 5 on the beam.
Morris holds the team’s top individual regional ranking, as the Belle, W.Va., native is No. 5 in the all-around (39.145 RQS). Morris is coming off a career-best performance against the Nittany Lions, as she scored 39.500 points and finished first overall yesterday. Sophomore Amy Bieski joins Morris on the list, coming in at No. 11 with a 38.930 RQS.
Four Mountaineers are ranked on the vault and the bars. Tabor leads the team on the vault with a No. 7 ranking, and is followed by No. 10 Bieski (9.835 RQS), No. 21 Emily Kerwin (9.800 RQS) and No. 23 Tina Maloney (9.795 RQS).
Morris is No. 9 on the bars with a 9.850 RQS. She is followed by No. 15 Naja Johnson (9.800 RQS), No. 20 Bieski (9.775 RQS) and No. 23 Nicole Roach.
A trio of Mountaineers are ranked on the beam and the floor. Juniors Kiersten Spoerke and Shelly Purkat are ranked No. 14 (9.770 RQS) and No. 16 (9.735 RQS), respectively, on the beam, with Morris just behind them at No. 22 (9.695 RQS). Morris tops the team’s floor rankings (No. 7), with Bieski at No. 10 (9.850 RQS) and Spoerke at No. 25 (9.770 RQS).
WVU continues its stronghold on the EAGL top spot and retains its season-long No. 1 ranking. The Mountaineers also are ranked No. 1 on the bars and floor, No. 2 on the vault and No. 5 on the beam.
Morris is the only Mountaineer to hold a No. 1 conference ranking, as she stands at the top of the bars and all-around lists. Johnson and Bieski join Morris with respective No. 6 and No. 9 bars rankings. Bieski also ranks No. 6 in the all-around.
Tabor and Bieski are ranked on the vault at No. 3 and No. 7, respectively, while No. 8 Spoerke and No. 10 Purkat represent WVU on the beam rankings. Additionally, Morris is No. 2 on the floor, while Bieski is No. 4.
The Mountaineers conclude their regular season this week with a meet at No. 21 Iowa State on Friday, March 13, at 8 p.m. EST.
