WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following a season-best performance, the No. 24-ranked West Virginia University gymnastics team returns to the road and travels to Washington, D.C., for a quad meet at George Washington, with William & Mary and Pitt, on Friday, Jan. 31, at 7 p.m. ET, inside the Charles E. Smith Center.
 
Links for live scores and a web stream are available at WVUsports.com.
 
"It's such an easy trip," Mountaineer coach Jason Butts said. "I like competing at George Washington, and the seniors have competed there before, too, so it's familiar territory. I'm looking forward to some great competition tomorrow, as well as a great road score."
 
For the first time this season, the Mountaineers (2-2, 0-1 Big 12) will open the meet on balance beam. WVU's complete rotation order is beam, floor exercise, vault and uneven bars.
 
West Virginia has winning records against all three opponents, including a perfect 18-0 mark against William & Mary (2-2, 1-0 ECAC). The Mountaineers are 64-14-2 all-time against the Panthers (0-3, 0-2 EAGL) and 47-7 all-time against the Colonials (6-2, 0-0 EAGL).
 
West Virginia ranks No. 24 in this week's Road to Nationals Rankings, showing a 195.283 average following a season-best 196.025 score earned in the Mountaineers' home opener on Jan. 26. WVU placed first overall, topping New Hampshire (195.125) and Temple (191.925) in the tri-meet, who finished second and third, respectively.
 
The Mountaineers' 196.025 score set last Sunday is a season best and ties the 41st highest score in program history. West Virginia was victorious on vault, bars and beam. A WVU gymnast also finished first on three events, including a win on floor for senior Chloe Cluchey. The reigning Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week collected her first 9.9 of the season, matching her career-high total of 9.925 in the event. She also tied for the vault win with classmate Julia Merwin and Temple's Ariana Castrence, with each gymnast notching 9.8 scores. Additionally, freshman Kianna Yancey posted a winning, 9.875 on bars, good for a career high.
 
Junior McKenna Linnen also passed the 500 career-point threshold on Sunday and now shows 516.25 points. Senior Abby Kaufman leads the team with 1,136.875 career points.
 
"It was a light week in the gym; we were able to focus on the small details," Butts said. "We know we can hit good routines; we just have to make sure we are not giving away the little deductions. We must focus on good landings and presentation, but all those little deductions are going to mean a lot as we continue throughout the season. It's more than just hitting the routines."
 
WVU is nationally ranked No. 18 on floor (49.017 avg.) and No. 24 on beam (48.8 avg.). The Mountaineers' floor lineup checks into the national rankings for the first time this season, while the beam lineup remains in the top 25 for the third consecutive week. West Virginia sits just outside the top 25 on bars at No. 27 (48.775 avg.). WVU also ranks No. 37 on vault (48.692 avg.).
 
Individually, freshman Abbie Pierson remains ranked at No. 4 on vault following her 9.9 score in her collegiate debut on Jan. 11. Yancey owns a pair of top-50 rankings, checking in at No. 33 in the all-around (39.15 avg.) and No. 44 on bars (9.85 avg.).
 
Last week, George Washington earned a season-high 194.35 score, placing first overall in a quad meet hosted by UC Davis on Jan. 24. Pitt fell short in its first road meet of the season, falling to North Carolina by a score of 193.625-192.45 on Jan. 25, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. William & Mary most recently placed second at a quad meet hosted by Towson on Jan. 17. The host Tigers claimed the team title with a 194.725 total and were followed by the Tribe (192.15).
 
For more information on the Mountaineers, visit WVUsports.com and follow WVUGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.