WVU Set for Home Finale Against No. 20 Arizona
February 27, 2025 01:58 PM | Gymnastics
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics team returns to Morgantown to play host to Big 12 Conference newcomer No. 20 Arizona on Friday, Jan. 28. It's Senior Night at the WVU Coliseum, and competition is tabbed for 7 p.m. ET.
Friday's meet will be the first-ever Coal Rush Meet, with all fans encouraged to wear black. It's also the annual Women's Empowerment Meet, where female-owned businesses and student organizations will be featured around the concourse prior to the meet. The first 200 fans also will receive a special "Empowerment" tote bag upon entry.
Following the conclusion of the meet, the Mountaineers will recognize their four senior members – Brooke Alban, Anna Leigh, Trinity Macy and Sierra Muns – for their contributions to the team over the last four years.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME to avoid lines at the gate on meet day. Michael Minnich and Erica Williams will have the call of Friday's meet on ESPN+. Live stats also are available at WVUsports.com.
Friday's meet marks the first between the Mountaineers and Wildcats as members of the Big 12 Conference, as the all-time series is tied at 2-2. The last time WVU and Arizona met in the regular season was in a quad meet hosted by Nebraska on Feb. 28, 2010, with U of A securing a 194.75-192.975 win over the Mountaineers. West Virginia and Arizona also met in the First Round of the 2022 NCAA Regional Championships in Norman, Okla., as the Wildcats topped WVU 196.525-195.925 to advance to the Second Round. The two teams first met in 1994, a 189.0-188.525 West Virginia win in Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona enters Friday's competition with a 12-3 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the Big 12 in 2025. The Wildcats are coming off a second-place finish at the Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, on Feb. 21, scoring a team total of 196.125.
Last time out, WVU recorded a season-high 195.825 in a dual meet at No. 25 Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 21. ASU took first place in the meet with a 196.225 team score, while the Mountaineers finished in second. West Virginia reached the new season-high total with season-best team scores on vault and uneven bars, scoring a 48.95 on vault and a 49.05 on bars. The squad also added totals of 48.875 on balance beam and 48.95 on floor exercise.
In the final event standings, freshman Karleigh DiCello tied for second on vault with a career-high tying 9.85, while sophomore Amber Lowe earned her second event win of the season in a tie for first on beam, earning a new career-best 9.85 on the event.
In this week's Road to Nationals rankings, the Mountaineers rank No. 48 nationally with a National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 194.5. WVU also ranks No. 50 on vault, No. 47 on bars, No. 51 on beam and No. 42 on floor. Additionally, West Virginia is No. 6 in the Big 12 and No. 8 in the southeast region on floor.
Individually, senior Anna Leigh ranks No. 6 in the southeast region and No. 7 in the Big 12 on floor with an NQS of 9.865. On bars, fifth-year senior Trinity Macy (9.79 NQS) ranks No. 21 in the region and No. 22 in the conference, while sophomore Julia Brown (9.775 NQS) ranks No. 22 regionally and No. 23 in the conference on beam.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Friday's meet will be the first-ever Coal Rush Meet, with all fans encouraged to wear black. It's also the annual Women's Empowerment Meet, where female-owned businesses and student organizations will be featured around the concourse prior to the meet. The first 200 fans also will receive a special "Empowerment" tote bag upon entry.
Following the conclusion of the meet, the Mountaineers will recognize their four senior members – Brooke Alban, Anna Leigh, Trinity Macy and Sierra Muns – for their contributions to the team over the last four years.
Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance by visiting WVUGAME.com or calling 1-800-WVU GAME to avoid lines at the gate on meet day. Michael Minnich and Erica Williams will have the call of Friday's meet on ESPN+. Live stats also are available at WVUsports.com.
Friday's meet marks the first between the Mountaineers and Wildcats as members of the Big 12 Conference, as the all-time series is tied at 2-2. The last time WVU and Arizona met in the regular season was in a quad meet hosted by Nebraska on Feb. 28, 2010, with U of A securing a 194.75-192.975 win over the Mountaineers. West Virginia and Arizona also met in the First Round of the 2022 NCAA Regional Championships in Norman, Okla., as the Wildcats topped WVU 196.525-195.925 to advance to the Second Round. The two teams first met in 1994, a 189.0-188.525 West Virginia win in Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona enters Friday's competition with a 12-3 overall record and a 3-1 mark in the Big 12 in 2025. The Wildcats are coming off a second-place finish at the Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, on Feb. 21, scoring a team total of 196.125.
Last time out, WVU recorded a season-high 195.825 in a dual meet at No. 25 Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 21. ASU took first place in the meet with a 196.225 team score, while the Mountaineers finished in second. West Virginia reached the new season-high total with season-best team scores on vault and uneven bars, scoring a 48.95 on vault and a 49.05 on bars. The squad also added totals of 48.875 on balance beam and 48.95 on floor exercise.
In the final event standings, freshman Karleigh DiCello tied for second on vault with a career-high tying 9.85, while sophomore Amber Lowe earned her second event win of the season in a tie for first on beam, earning a new career-best 9.85 on the event.
In this week's Road to Nationals rankings, the Mountaineers rank No. 48 nationally with a National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 194.5. WVU also ranks No. 50 on vault, No. 47 on bars, No. 51 on beam and No. 42 on floor. Additionally, West Virginia is No. 6 in the Big 12 and No. 8 in the southeast region on floor.
Individually, senior Anna Leigh ranks No. 6 in the southeast region and No. 7 in the Big 12 on floor with an NQS of 9.865. On bars, fifth-year senior Trinity Macy (9.79 NQS) ranks No. 21 in the region and No. 22 in the conference, while sophomore Julia Brown (9.775 NQS) ranks No. 22 regionally and No. 23 in the conference on beam.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUGymnastics on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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