MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team is ranked for the second straight week and the fifth time this season, as the Mountaineers check in at No. 25 in today’s Road to Nationals Rankings.

 

The Mountaineers were last ranked at least five times in one season in 2013, when the squad was positioned within the top 25 of the GymInfo Rankings six times.

 

Despite a more than one-tenth increase in its regional qualifying score (RQS), WVU is down two spots in this week’s poll with a 195.54 RQS. The squad moved up seven spots to No. 16 on floor (49.11 RQS) and continues to rank No. 13 on vault (49.04 RQS).

 

Individually, three Mountaineers continue to own a national ranking. Freshman Kirah Koshinski checks in at No. 18 on vault (9.875 RQS), and sophomore Zaakira Muhammad closely follows at No. 21 (9.87 RQS). Additionally, junior Alexa Goldberg ranks No. 31 on the uneven bars (9.86 RQS).

 

Today’s rankings are the second of the season based on RQS. Qualification for NCAA regional competition is based on a team and individual’s six best regular-season scores, of which three must be away. To obtain the RQS, the high score is eliminated and the remaining five scores are averaged. The top 36-ranked schools as of March 21 will qualify for the 2016 NCAA Regional Championships.

 

Regionally, the Mountaineers continue to rank No. 4 overall in the Southeast. The squad also ranks No. 3 on vault and floor, No. 4 on balance beam (48.73 RQS) and No. 5 on bars (48.855 RQS).

 

Koshinski, Muhammad and Goldberg each own three regional rankings.

 

Koshinski, a native of Berwick, Pennsylvania, sits at No. 6 on vault. She also ranks a team-best No. 9 on floor (9.85 RQS) and No. 23 on beam (9.735 RQS).

 

A native of Pennsauken, New Jersey, Muhammad ranks No. 7 on vault. She also ranks No. 11 on floor (9.835 RQS) and No. 19 on bars (9.795 RQS).

 

Goldberg, a native of Ivyland, Pennsylvania, ranks No. 7 on bars. She also ranks No. 15 on floor (9.82 RQS) and No. 25 on beam (9.725 RQS).

 

Senior Audrey Tolbert ranks a team-best No. 19 on beam (9.755 RQS).

 

In total, five Mountaineers are ranked on floor, with senior Melissa Idell sitting at No. 16 (9.81 RQS) and sophomore Jordan Gillette checking in at No. 23 (9.79 RQS).

 

Senior Jaida Lawrence and sophomore Robyn Bernard rank No. 17 (9.81 RQS) and No. 21 (9.76 RQS), respectively, on vault, while freshman Tiara Wright sits at No. 23 on bars (9.775 RQS).

 

The Mountaineers rank No. 3 in the Big 12 Conference for the seventh straight week. The squad also ranks No. 3 on all four events.

 

Koshinski owns the team’s top conference ranking is sits at No. 4 on the vault chart. She also ranks No. 9 on floor.

 

Muhammad follows Koshinski on vault at No. 6, and Goldberg ranks No. 7 on bars.

 

The Mountaineers (6-6, 0-3) tallied a season-high 196.225 and collected four victories in a first-place finish at the Unite for Her Pink Invitational on Feb. 26, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Koshinski finished first on vault with a career-high 9.925, while Idell tied for the beam win with a career-best 9.9. Goldberg paced on floor and tied for second place with a 9.9, and freshman Jaquie Tun finished second on bars with a career-best 9.875.

 

The team returns to the WVU Coliseum on Sunday, March 6, for a 2 p.m. meet against Ohio State and Bowling Green. Mr. Twister, a balloon artist, will be on the main concourse prior to the meet and will provide balloon art and face painting for kids in attendance.

 

Tickets for Sunday’s competition are on sale now at WVUGAME.com and also will be on sale at the Blue Gate on meet day. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for youth and senior citizens and $2 for groups of 10 or more. WVU students are admitted for free with a valid WVU student ID.