Gymnastics: WVU Maintains National Floor Ranking
February 01, 2010 02:07 PM | General
February 1, 2010
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| Amy Bieski |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team matched a season-high 48.875 floor score on Jan. 30 and remains nationally ranked No. 16 in this week’s GymInfo Poll.
The Mountaineers’ (9-2, 6-0 EAGL) floor lineup has resided in the top 25 each week since Jan. 11; it is WVU’s only lineup to earn a national ranking in the last three weeks.
After sweeping the Maryland quad-meet last Saturday with a season-best 194.6 score, the Mountaineers pushed their season average to 193.062 and stand on the cusp of the top 25 team rankings, checking in at No. 29.
Junior Amy Bieski continues to reside in the top 50 floor national rankings, as she is tied for No. 46 with a 9.8 average.
The Mountaineers’ improved season average pushes them to No. 4 in the southeast region. The squad remains No. 2 on floor and No. 6 on bars (48.144) and beam (47.581), and drops to No. 5 on vault (48.575).
Bieski, a Nanticoke, Pa., native, owns two top 10 regional rankings and is tied for ninth on floor and ranks 10 in all-around (38.562). She is also ranked No. 17 on vault (9.762).
Senior Chelsi Tabor is the only other Mountaineer with multiple regional rankings. The Beckley, W.Va., native is tied for 10th on vault (9.806) and is 16th on beam (9.675).
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| Alysha Pretzello |
Following a strong 9.7 bars showing in her season debut, junior Alysha Pretzello crashes the regional rankings at No. 15. She is joined by classmate Emily Kerwin (No. 18, 9.692) and sophomore Nicole Roach (t-No. 20, 9.675).
Joining Bieski in the floor top 25 are Naja Johnson (No. 17, 9.762), Tina Maloney (14, 9.75), Kiersten Spoerke (15, 9.74) and Stephanie Keaton (No. 16, 9.719).
WVU’s rankings in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) mirror its regional rankings, as the team moved up one spot overall to No. 3 and remained at No. 2 on floor, No. 5 on bars and beam, and dropped one to No. 4 on vault.
Three Mountaineers own top 10 league rankings. Tabor holds the highest ranking, as she checks in at No. 6 on vault and No. 9 on beam, while Bieski is the most-frequently ranked, as she is No. 9 on vault and floor and No. 10 in all-around. Pretzello is ranked eighth on bars.
Average team scores determine the national rankings for the first month of the season.
The Mountaineers’ overall jump in rankings follows wins over host Maryland (193.925), then-No. 16 Denver (192.85) and Rutgers (190.55). WVU’s victory over the Pioneers was its second in as many weeks over a ranked opponent. Additionally, the team’s wins over the Terrapins and Scarlet Knights, both EAGL members, preserve WVU’s unblemished league record. WVU last earned nine wins through the season’s first four meets in 2007; that squad concluded the year at 28-9, second in the EAGL and third at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championship.
The Mountaineers return to the WVU Coliseum for a two-meet homestand on Friday, Feb. 5, and will play host to No. 15-ranked Michigan and William & Mary at 8 p.m.
