Gymnastics Nationally Ranked on Two Events
February 23, 2015 02:41 PM | General
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| Idell |
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For the first time this season, the West Virginia University gymnastics team is nationally ranked on two events in the GymInfo Poll.
The Mountaineers (8-7-1, 0-0-1) rank No. 22 on vault with a 48.98 regional qualifying score (RQS) and No. 24 on floor with a 48.94 RQS.
Additionally, three gymnasts are individually ranked, with senior Dayah Haley and junior Melissa Idell tied at No. 43 on floor with a 9.84 RQS. Junior Jaida Lawrence ranks No. 50 on vault with a 9.85 RQS.
Oklahoma retains the No. 1 spot with a 197.64 RQS, and LSU (197.335 RQS) trails at No. 2. Florida (197.27 RQS) is No. 3, Utah (197.265) is No. 4 and Alabama (197.055) is No. 5.
This week’s poll is the first of the season based on RQS. An RQS is derived from a team or gymnast’s top-six scores, three of which must be earned at a road meet. The highest score is dropped, and the remaining five scores are averaged for the RQS.
The Mountaineers drop one spot to No. 5 (194.825 RQS) in the Southeast region. The squad is up one spot to No. 4 on floor and ranks No. 5 on vault, No. 6 (48.41 RQS) on beam and No. 7 (48.535 RQS) on bars.
Haley and Idell own the team’s top individual regional ranking and check in at No. 6 on floor. Sophomore Nicolette Swoboda trails at No. 23 (9.73 RQS).
Lawrence is the first of four Mountaineers ranked on vault and sits at No. 9. Freshman Zaakira Muhammad is No. 13 (9.825 RQS), while Swoboda is No. 18 (9.81 RQS) and Haley is No. 22 (9.79 RQS).
Sophomore Alexa Goldberg ranks No. 11 (9.81 RQS) on bars, and Muhammad follows at No. 24 (9.71 RQS). Senior Beth Deal ranks No. 14 (9.735 RQS) on beam, and Idell sits at No. 17 (9.725 RQS).
The Mountaineers rank No. 3 overall in the Big 12 Conference. The team is No. 2 on vault and floor, and No. 3 on bars and beam.
Lawrence is the top-ranking Mountaineer in the Big 12 and sits at No. 5 on vault. Muhammad ranks No. 8, and Swoboda ranks No. 10.
Haley and Idell rank No. 7 on floor, while Goldberg ranks No. 8 on bars. On beam, Deal ranks No. 9, and Idell follows at No. 10.
The Mountaineers surged ahead in the floor rankings thanks to a season-best 49.225 showing at the “Wendy M. Roach Invitational” at the WVU Coliseum on February 22. WVU tallied 195.2, a season-best home score, and finished second. Maryland won the meet with a 195.35 showing, while Rutgers scored 194.825 and placed third. No. 25 New Hampshire earned 194.1 and finished fourth.
WVU closes out its regular-season road slate at Pitt, with North Carolina and Temple, on Saturday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m., at Fitzgerald Field House.
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