Gymnastics Qualifies for NCAA Regionals
Mar 24 | Women's Gymnastics
INDIANAPOLIS (March 24, 2014) - After posting a school-record 195.340 regional qualifying score (RQS), No. 32 Rutgers gymnastics has qualified for the NCAA Regionals as a team. The Scarlet Knights will head to Athens, Ga., to compete against host No. 6 Georgia, No. 7 Michigan, No. 18 Central Michigan, No. 22 Ohio State and No. 28 North Carolina State. The meet will take place Saturday, April 5 at 4 p.m.
RU defeated Ohio State and Central Michigan head-to-head earlier this season and tied NC State last weekend at the EAGL Championships. It is the first NCAA berth for the program since 2007 and first one under the current format.
"It was our goal from the beginning of the season to make NCAA Regionals as a team and we are excited to have achieved that," head coach Louis Levine said. "I think the region we are in played out well for us since we beat or tied three of the teams in it already this season. If we go out there and do what we have been doing all season, we have a shot."
Rutgers recorded six of its top 10 meet scores in program history this season, including a record 196.225 mark March 8. Most recently, the Scarlet Knights picked up a 195.275 at the EAGL Championships to place tied for third. It was the best score and finish for RU at the conference meet.
The Scarlet Knights scored best on floor exercise (48.975 RQS) this season, with vault (48.905), balance beam (48.905) and uneven bars (48.885) following closely behind. The team broke the event record scores on vault (49.200) and floor exercise (49.325) throughout the course of the year.
The top-18 teams were seeded nationally by the NCAA, based on RQS, and placed into the bracket. Teams 19 through 36 were organized into three pods (19-24, 25-30 and 31-36) and placed geographically at one of the six sites, beginning with teams 19-24 followed by teams 25-30 and then finally teams 31-36. Seeding determined at the time of regional selections will be maintained throughout the championships. Click here for complete information.
The RQS is based on the team's six best regular-season-meet scores, of which three must be away. To obtain the number, the high score is eliminated and the remaining five scores are averaged.
The top two scoring teams from the region will move on to the NCAA Nationals in Birmingham, Ala., April 18-20.
Top Scores in School History
196.225 - March 8, 2014
195.975 - March 2, 2013
195.825 - March 1, 2014*
195.500 - March 8, 2013*
195.400 - Feb. 26, 2000
195.275 - March 22, 2014*
195.275 - Jan. 19, 2014*
195.250 - Jan. 17, 2014*
195.125 - March 1, 2000
195.075 - Jan. 11, 2014
195.050 - Feb. 17, 2013*
195.000 - Feb. 2, 2013
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