Gymnastics: WVU Retains Floor Ranking
February 08, 2010 04:18 PM | General
February 8, 2010
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| Chelsi Tabor |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team’s floor lineup continues to earn national recognition, as its 48.755 average is good enough for a No. 17 ranking in this week’s GymInfo Poll.
The Mountaineers (10-3, 6-0 EAGL) have warranted a floor ranking each week this season; WVU opened at No. 12 on Jan. 11, and has flip-flopped between No. 16 and No. 17 the last four weeks.
WVU’s 194.475 score in a home tri-meet split on Feb. 5 helped boost its season average to 193.345. The squad remains just outside the Top 25 with a No. 27 rank.
Junior Amy Bieski’s national floor ranking jumped one spot to No. 45. The Nanticoke, Pa., native equaled a season-best 9.825 last Friday and pushed her average to 9.805.
The Mountaineers retained or improved their regional rankings this week. The squad remains ranked No. 4 in the southeast region, and also holds steady at No. 2 on floor and No. 6 on beam (47.76). WVU improved to No. 4 on vault (48.605) and No. 5 on bars (48.225).
Bieski owns three regional rankings, including a No. 7 rank on floor and a No. 9 (38.655) all-around rank. She is also tied for 16th on vault (9.765).
Seniors Chelsi Tabor and Shelly Purkat are regionally ranked on two events. Tabor is tied for 10th on vault (9.8) and 13th on beam (9.717); the beam ranking is a three-spot improvement for the Beckley, W.Va., native and follows a career-best 9.8 showing last Friday. Purkat is ranked 15th on floor (9.75) and 25th on beam (9.58). The Edina, Minn., native made her floor season debut in the Mountaineers’ tri-meet.
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| Shelly Purkat |
Juniors Alysha Pretzello and Emily Kerwin are ranked 10th (9.725) and 16th (9.681), respectively, on bars, while sophomore Nicole Roach checks in at No. 18 (9.675).
Four Mountaineers join Bieski and Purkat with floor rankings: Naja Johnson (No. 12, 9.775), Tina Maloney (No. 14, 9.755), Kiersten Spoerke (No. 16, 9.735) and Stephanie Keaton (No. 24, 9.685).
Much like their regional rankings, the Mountaineers either retained or improved their East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) marks this week. WVU continues to be ranked No. 2 on floor and No. 5 on beam, and improved to No. 2 overall and No. 3 on vault and bars.
Bieski is most frequently ranked within the league’s Top 10, as she is No. 6 on floor and all-around and No. 9 on vault. Tabor is No. 6 on beam and No. 10 on vault, while Johnson checks in at No. 10 on floor. Pretzello is fourth and Kerwin is 10th on bars.
The new rankings follow the Mountaineers’ 1-1 showing against Michigan and William & Mary at the WVU Coliseum on Feb. 5. WVU lost to the Wolverines (196.4) and defeated the Tribe (187.725). WVU registered a season-best 48.475 on beam and scored 48.725 on vault, 48.55 on bars and 48.725 on floor; the Mountaineers finished second to UM on each apparatus. Bieski finished second overall with 39.025 points and second on floor.
This week’s rankings are the last of the season to be based on averages. Regional qualifying scores (RQS) will determine the remainder the year’s rankings.
The Mountaineers continue their home stand on Friday, Feb. 12, and play host to Ohio State at 8 p.m. at the WVU Coliseum. The contest is a designated “Pink Meet” and fans are encouraged to wear pink to raise awareness about breast cancer.
