Saturday, January 12
Pittsburgh, Pa.
2:00 PM
West Virginia University
at
Pitt
Photo by: Steven Prunty
No. 22 Mountaineers Continue Road Swing
January 11, 2019 04:35 PM | Gymnastics
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The No. 22-ranked West Virginia University gymnastics team continues its season-opening road swing with a quad meet at Pitt on Saturday, Jan. 12. Action against the Panthers, Eastern Michigan and Utah State begins at 2 p.m. inside Fitzgerald Field House in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Saturday is the 2019 season opener for each team but WVU. The Mountaineers (1-2, 0-1) opened the year with a third place, 194.15 showing at the Cancun Classic on Jan. 4.
For the first time this season, the Mountaineers will open competition on balance beam. WVU's complete rotation order is: balance beam, floor exercise, vault and uneven bars.
"Beam is a tough event to start on, but it is our most consistent event, and we have the most depth there right now," Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. "That was our come-back event in Cancun. I like the confidence we have on that event. That being said, beam is the great equalizer. We have to go in and be aggressive."
WVU is 61-14-2 all-time against the Panthers. The teams met three times in 2018. Each team earned the win in its home arena, and the Mountaineers earned the season edge with a 196.425-195.5 victory on March 11, at George Washington.
In their last meet at Fitzgerald Field House, WVU scored 196.075 in a third-place effort on March 4, 2018. Penn State finished first (196.65), and the Panthers placed second (196.475). Temple scored 194.25 and finished fourth.
The Mountaineers are 4-1 all-time against the Eagles and 1-2 against the Aggies.
WVU enters Saturday's meet ranked No. 22 nationally. The Mountaineers rank as high as No. 8 on floor exercise, having tallied 49.05 at the Cancun Classic. The team also ranks No. 15 on balance beam (48.775) and No. 17 on vault (48.8).
Three Mountaineers own five national rankings, with senior Kirah Koshinski ranking No. 8 on floor with a 9.925 average. Only seven gymnasts nationally scored higher than Koshinski on floor in the first week of competition. Koshinski also ranks No. 42 in the all-around (38.25 avg.) and No. 48 on vault (9.8 avg.). Senior Jaquie Tun ranks No. 25 on floor (9.85 avg.), and junior Abby Kaufman ranks No. 41 in the all-around (38.375 avg.).
Last week, Koshinski tied for the floor win with a 9.925 mark, giving her 32 career scores of 9.9 or better on any event. She also paced WVU on vault and finished sixth overall with a 9.8 total. Freshmen Esperanza Abarca and Rachel Hornung paced the Mountaineers on bars and beam, respectively, with 9.8 marks. Hornung finished fifth overall, and Abarca placed eighth. Kaufman finished third in the all-around with a 38.375 total.
Under second-year coach Samantha Snider, Pitt returns to competition following an 8-22 (3-3 EAGL) showing in 2018. The Panthers finished fifth at the EAGL Championship (195.475) and at the NCAA Columbus Regional Championships (195.125). Haley Brechwald is the reigning EAGLE Rookie of the Year and earned 12 individual titles in 2018.
Led by second-year coach Katie Minasola, EMU is coming off an 8-7 (3-3 MAC) campaign in 2018. The Eagles finished fourth at the MAC Championships with a 195.275 score. Two gymnasts individually qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships.
For USU, Amy Smith returns for her second season with the Aggies, who finished 2018 at 9-11 (2-4 Mountain Rim). USU placed third at the MRCG Championships with a 195.825 total.
Saturday is the 2019 season opener for each team but WVU. The Mountaineers (1-2, 0-1) opened the year with a third place, 194.15 showing at the Cancun Classic on Jan. 4.
For the first time this season, the Mountaineers will open competition on balance beam. WVU's complete rotation order is: balance beam, floor exercise, vault and uneven bars.
"Beam is a tough event to start on, but it is our most consistent event, and we have the most depth there right now," Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. "That was our come-back event in Cancun. I like the confidence we have on that event. That being said, beam is the great equalizer. We have to go in and be aggressive."
WVU is 61-14-2 all-time against the Panthers. The teams met three times in 2018. Each team earned the win in its home arena, and the Mountaineers earned the season edge with a 196.425-195.5 victory on March 11, at George Washington.
In their last meet at Fitzgerald Field House, WVU scored 196.075 in a third-place effort on March 4, 2018. Penn State finished first (196.65), and the Panthers placed second (196.475). Temple scored 194.25 and finished fourth.
The Mountaineers are 4-1 all-time against the Eagles and 1-2 against the Aggies.
WVU enters Saturday's meet ranked No. 22 nationally. The Mountaineers rank as high as No. 8 on floor exercise, having tallied 49.05 at the Cancun Classic. The team also ranks No. 15 on balance beam (48.775) and No. 17 on vault (48.8).
Three Mountaineers own five national rankings, with senior Kirah Koshinski ranking No. 8 on floor with a 9.925 average. Only seven gymnasts nationally scored higher than Koshinski on floor in the first week of competition. Koshinski also ranks No. 42 in the all-around (38.25 avg.) and No. 48 on vault (9.8 avg.). Senior Jaquie Tun ranks No. 25 on floor (9.85 avg.), and junior Abby Kaufman ranks No. 41 in the all-around (38.375 avg.).
Last week, Koshinski tied for the floor win with a 9.925 mark, giving her 32 career scores of 9.9 or better on any event. She also paced WVU on vault and finished sixth overall with a 9.8 total. Freshmen Esperanza Abarca and Rachel Hornung paced the Mountaineers on bars and beam, respectively, with 9.8 marks. Hornung finished fifth overall, and Abarca placed eighth. Kaufman finished third in the all-around with a 38.375 total.
Under second-year coach Samantha Snider, Pitt returns to competition following an 8-22 (3-3 EAGL) showing in 2018. The Panthers finished fifth at the EAGL Championship (195.475) and at the NCAA Columbus Regional Championships (195.125). Haley Brechwald is the reigning EAGLE Rookie of the Year and earned 12 individual titles in 2018.
Led by second-year coach Katie Minasola, EMU is coming off an 8-7 (3-3 MAC) campaign in 2018. The Eagles finished fourth at the MAC Championships with a 195.275 score. Two gymnasts individually qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships.
For USU, Amy Smith returns for her second season with the Aggies, who finished 2018 at 9-11 (2-4 Mountain Rim). USU placed third at the MRCG Championships with a 195.825 total.
Players Mentioned
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