Rutgers Gymnasts Advance To Finals At USAG Nationals
Apr 15 | Women's Gymnastics
DENTON, Texas. (April 15, 2010) - The Rutgers gymnastics team advanced to the finals of the USAG Collegiate National Championships after placing second in Thursday's preliminary session with a score of 189.400 inside Kitty Magee Arena on the campus of Texas Women's University. The Scarlet Knights will compete in the four-team finals Friday at 7 p.m. with the winner crowned the USAG National Champion.
Rutgers placed second to Bridgeport (192.575) in Thursday's first preliminary session and will face the Purple Knights along with the top two finishers in the second preliminary session held Thursday evening. Seattle Pacific scored a 187.925 to place third, while Air Force registered a 185.925 to finish fourth in the first session. William & Mary, Cornell, Texas Women's University and Temple will compete in Thursday night's second session.
"We are very proud of the team for keeping their focus throughout the meet and believing we could reach the finals," said Rutgers head gymnastics coach Chrystal Cholet-Norton. "We received clutch performances from everyone to earn the score we needed at the end. This was a total team effort and we are excited to have a chance to compete for the team championship."
Fans can access a live video stream of Friday evening's competition by logging on to http://www.twuathletics.com/sports/2010/3/10/usag_0310103123.aspx?path=usag.
Rutgers was crowned USAG Collegiate National team championships in 2005. The Scarlet Knights last competed as a team in the USAG Collegiate Nationals in 2007, placing third in their preliminary round session and were eliminated.
RU opened competition on the balance beam where junior Leigh Heinbaugh (Sicklerville, N.J.) led Rutgers with a 9.675 to place fifth overall and earn a spot in Saturday's individual finals. Sophomore Nicole Schwartz (Somerset, N.J.) scored a 9.600 to tie for eighth, while freshman Emma-Rose Trentacosti (Ridgefield Park, N.J.) scored a 9.575 to tie for 11th in the event. RU scored a 46.625 in the event.
Seniors Laura Sevarino (Cheshire, Conn.) and Alyssa Lewandowski (Linden, N.J.) advanced to Saturday's individual finals in the vault, finishing third and fifth in the event. Sevarino posted a score of 9.675, while Lewandowski recorded a 9.600. RU posted a score of 47.525 in the event.
Sevarino led four Scarlet Knights in the top 11 in the floor exercise with a score of 9.700 to place seventh and advance to Saturday's individual finals. Junior Kiah Banfield (Newbury Park, Calif.) scored a 9.650 to tie for eighth, while Lewandowski and freshman Nicole Romano (Livingston, N.J.) each recorded a 9.625 to tie for 11th in the event. As a team, RU scored a 48.150 in the floor exercise.
RU's final rotation was the bars and junior Erica Gerlach (Papillion, Neb.) came up huge for the Scarlet Knights with a 9.600 to tie for fourth on the parallel bars and pace Rutgers to a 47.100 in the event and seal the second-place finish for RU. Gerlach will compete in Saturday's individual finals.
Sevarino placed fifth in the all-around with a score of 37.475, while freshman Jenna Zito (Rockaway, N.J.) finished seventh with a score of 36.950.
