PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team concluded the regular season finishing second in a tri-meet at Rutgers with Penn inside Jersey Mike's Arena in Piscataway, New Jersey, on Sunday afternoon.
 
The Mountaineers (12-9, 1-2 Big 12) earned their second-highest road score of the year with a 196.550 to finish in second place. Host Rutgers finished in first place with a program-record score of 196.875, while Penn placed third with a 194.475 team score.
 
Of note, WVU's score on Sunday ties for the 17th-best team score in program history.
 
West Virginia opened the meet on the uneven bars, posting a solid, 48.95 total in the first rotation. Senior Emily Holmes-Hackerd and sophomore Anna Leigh earned a pair of 9.825s to lead to way. The score marked a season best for Leigh. Senior Kendra Combs tallied a 9.8, closely followed by a 9.775 from classmate Kianna Yancey. Freshman Miranda Smith capped the scoring with a 9.725.
 
In the second rotation, the Mountaineers earned their fourth consecutive score of 49.0 or higher on balance beam with a 49.125. Combs paced the lineup with a beautiful 9.875, followed by Yancey with a 9.85. Pierson secured a 9.825, before freshman Emma Wehry earned a career-high tying 9.8. The scoring was rounded out by a 9.775 from Leigh.
 
WVU's floor lineup continued to put on a show in the third rotation, securing a 49.225 team score. Holmes-Hackerd once again led the way with a 9.925, just shy of her career high. Combs then added her second 9.875 of the afternoon. Pierson and junior Kiana Lewis were just shy of Combs with a pair of 9.825s. Leigh closed the scoring for the Mountaineers with a 9.775.
 
Closing the meet on vault, West Virginia posted an impressive 49.25 team score. A pair of 9.9s from Pierson and Wehry paced the rotation, with the total marking a career-high matching score for Wehry. Freshman Brooke Irwin also matched her career best with a 9.85, while a 9.775 from Lewis completed the rotation.
 
In the final event standings, Pierson and Wehry finished in a tie for second on vault. On bars, Leigh and Holmes-Hackerd tied for third place, and Combs also tied for third on beam. Holmes-Hackerd finished atop the floor podium for the eighth time this season.
 
The Mountaineers now prepare to open the postseason when they play host to the 2023 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship on Saturday, March 18, in Morgantown, W.Va. The conference championship is set for 7 p.m. ET, inside the WVU Coliseum and will be broadcast on ESPNU. Tickets for the meet can be purchased at WVUGAME.com.
 
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