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Mountaineers Make Major Rankings Moves
January 18, 2016 12:38 PM | Gymnastics
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Following its strong showing in its home season opener at the WVU Coliseum on Jan. 17, the West Virginia University gymnastics team is nationally ranked in two events and sits just outside the Top 25 in this week’s Road to Nationals rankings.
WVU (1-2, 0-1) ranks No. 12 on vault with a 49.038 season average. The squad also boasts a 48.713 season average on the uneven bars and ranks No. 24, a move of nine spots. Additionally, the Mountaineers are close to breaking into the Top 25 overall rankings, as the squad sits at No. 26 with a 194.272 average; WVU ranked No. 37 last week.
Individually, junior Alexa Goldberg is up 10 spots to No. 26 in the all-around with a 39.1 season average. The Ivyland, Pennsylvania, native also ranks No. 13 on bars with a 9.875 average. Additionally, freshman Kirah Koshinski jumped seven spots to No. 6 on vault (9.887 avg.), and sophomore Zaakira Muhammad ranks No. 31 on vault (9.838 avg.).
The Mountaineers moved up two spots to No. 4 in the Southeast Region. The squad also ranks No. 3 on vault, No. 4 on bars and floor (48.725 avg.), and No. 7 on balance beam (48.25 avg.).
Goldberg shows three regional rankings and checks in at No. 5 on bars, No. 7 in the all-around and No. 9 on floor (9.825 avg.).
Six Mountaineers are regionally ranked on vault. Koshinski leads the way and sits at No. 2. She is followed by Muhammad at No. 8, senior Jaida Lawrence at No. 12 (9.8 avg.), sophomore Amanda Bowman at No. 17 (9.775 avg.) and sophomore Robyn Bernard and freshman Jaquie Tun at No. 20 (9.75 avg.).
Koshinski also ranks No. 12 on beam (9.8 avg.) and No. 16 on floor (9.775 avg.), while Muhammad checks in at No. 15 on bars (9.813 avg.), and Tun ranks No. 12 on floor (9.8 avg.).
Additionally, freshman Carly Galpin ranks No. 17 on beam (9.775 avg.) following her collegiate event debut, and senior Melissa Idell ranks No. 23 on floor (9.725 avg.).
The Mountaineers sit at No. 3 in the Big 12 Conference. WVU is as high as No. 2 on beam and also ranks No. 3 on vault and bars, and No. 4 on floor.
Koshinski owns the team’s top conference ranking, as the Berwick, Pennsylvania, native sits at No. 2 on the vault chart. She also ranks No. 7 on beam.
Goldberg ranks No. 3 on bars, No. 4 in the all-around and No. 6 on floor, while Muhammad ranks No. 7 on vault and No. 9 on bars. Additionally, Galpin ranks No. 8 on beam, and Tun sits at No. 10 on floor.
The Mountaineers opened their 2016 home season at the WVU Coliseum with a resounding 195.8-195.225 victory over No. 18-ranked New Hampshire Sunday afternoon. The team’s total would have been the squad’s third-highest score in 2015. WVU tallied season highs on all four events, and Goldberg won the all-around with a career-best 39.225 score. Additionally, she tallied a career-high 9.95 on floor and a season-best 9.9 on bars and won both events. Koshinski scored a season-high 9.9 on vault for the victory.
WVU stays in Morgantown and returns to the Coliseum on Sunday, Jan. 24, for a tri-meet against Western Michigan and William & Mary at 2 p.m. It’s “Dollar Day,” and all tickets, hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Colas will be available for $1 each.
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