Gymnastics: WVU Sweeps EAGL Weekly Honors
February 16, 2010 01:15 PM | General
February 16, 2010
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - Following a season-best 195.65 score and a win over Ohio State on Feb. 12, three Mountaineers have earned East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) honors.
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| Amy Bieski |
Junior Amy Bieski has been named the co-EAGL Gymnast of the Week and shares the honor with New Hampshire’s Chelsea Steinberg. Senior Shelly Purkat has earned the EAGL Specialist of the Week honor, while junior Faye Meaden has garnered her second-straight EAGL Rookie of the Week award.
“This is very exciting,” says 36-year coach Linda Burdette-Good. “We had a good meet on Friday, so I am not surprised that our team would be considered for each award. While I am shocked that all three were honored, I think each is very deserving.”
WVU (11-3, 6-0 EAGL) is the most-recognized league team to date, as five Mountaineers have earned eight awards through six meets. Maryland and NC State have each received four weekly awards.
“Our team continues to improve each week,” Burdette-Good says. “We need to focus on maintaining our current streak of strong routines.”
Bieski’s honor is her third of the season and fifth of her career, while Purkat previously earned her honor three times as a sophomore.
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| Shelly Purkat |
All three Mountaineers put forth season-best performances in their victory over the Buckeyes.
Bieski paced the squad and finished first overall with 39.25 points; the season-best score was her third 39.0-plus mark of the season, and career 10th. The Nanticoke, Pa., native also won the floor exercise with a season-best 9.875 points and tied teammate Nicole Roach for first place on bars with a career-high 9.825. Additionally, she finished third on beam and set a career-mark with 9.8 points, and tied for fourth place on vault with a 9.75 score. Bieski is currently ranked 40th nationally on floor with a 9.817 average.
Purkat’s first honor of the season follows her first-place, 9.825 beam showing. The Edina, Minn., native also finished third on floor with 9.825 points. Both scores are season-best marks.
Meaden was recognized for the second-consecutive week after scoring a career-best 9.775 points on bars, the meet’s second-best score, and tying for third place. The Fairfax, Va., native also opened the Mountaineers’ floor rotation with a 10th-place 9.7 showing.
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| Faye Meaden |
The Mountaineers rebounded from their 1-1 showing against Michigan and William & Mary on Feb. 5 with their resounding victory over the Buckeyes (192.8 total points). WVU scored 48.875 on vault, 48.9 on bars, 48.8 on beam and 49.075 on floor and defeated OSU on each apparatus. The team’s floor showing was its first 49.0-plus score of the year, and each team mark was a season-best.
The Mountaineers open a two-meet road trip at No. 13 Penn State on Saturday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. The contest is a double dual-meet, and the teams will compete alongside the Penn State and Illinois men’s teams.
