March 15, 1998

THIS WEEK
Sat., March 21 EAGL Championships @ Rutgers, New Brunswick, N.J. 6 p.m.

NEXT WEEK
Off

EAGL'S ON THE WAY: This Saturday, Maryland will travel to New Brunswick, N.J. to compete in the Third Annual East Atlantic Gymnastics League Championships. The meet, held at Rutgers, features the Terrapins, the New Hampshire Wildcats, the North Carolina Tar Heels, the North Carolina State Wolfpack, the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, the Towson Tigers and the West Virginia Mountaineers.

EAGL'S OF THE PAST: The EAGL was formed in 1995 and the first EAGL Championships took place at West Virginia in 1996. In the meet, Maryland finished fourth behind West Virginia, which won the title, Towson and N.C. State with a score of 192.150. At the 1997 EAGL Championships, the Terps finished seventh, beating out only Rutgers, with a score of 191.775.

THIS SEASON AGAINST EAGL TEAMS: Maryland has amassed a record of 3-6 in nine meetings against five different EAGL opponents this season. They have faced Towson four times, winning two and losing two; they have faced N.C. State twice, losing in both meetings; they defeated North Carolina in their only meeting; and they have faced West Virginia and New Hampshire once, losing to both of the teams.

TERPS EDGE OUT COLONIALS ON "SENIOR NIGHT": Last Wednesday, six Maryland gymnasts competed in their last meet in College Park and did so in high fashion as the Terps recorded a season-high team score and defeated Southeast Region rival George Washington, 193.475 - 193.200. Junior Christine Holcombe showcased her talent as she won the all-around competition with an individual and team season-high score of 38.925. Holcombe placed first on floor with a season-high 9.800, tied for second on vault with a season-high tying score of 9.700, fourth on bars with a 9.725 and tied for fifth on beam with a season-high 9.700. Senior Megyn Byrnes closed out her Maryland career at home by finishing in a tie for third-place on floor with a season-high 9.725 and placing second on bars with an individual and season-high and all-time tying high score of 9.875. Senior Stacy Breidenbach closed out her Maryland home career by tying for third-place on floor with a season-high 9.725, despite competing with one arm due to a broken left hand.

TERPS IN THE RANKINGS: After 10 meets, the Terrapins are ranked 38th in the country, seventh in the Southeast Region and fifth in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League for regional qualifying average, according to the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastic Coaches Poll. Individually, senior Megyn Byrnes is ranked 11th in the Southeast Region for all-around qualifying average and junior Christine Holcombe is ranked 13th. In the EAGL, Byrnes is ranked fifth and Holcombe is ranked eighth for all-around regional qualifying average.

1998 SEASON HIGHS
TEAM HIGHS                                          INDIVIDUAL HIGHS
Vault   48.525 at George Washington, 2/24/98        Vault   9.750 by M. Byrnes, 2/24/98 and 
Bars    48.525 at Bubble Invitational, 3/7/98                        A. Albert, 2/24/98             
Beam    48.250 vs George Washington, 3/11/98        Bars    9.875 by M. Byrnes, 3/11/98 
Floor   48.725 vs George Washington, 3/11/98        Beam    9.800 by K. Fein, 1/30/98   
Team    192.475 vs George Washington, 3/11/98       Floor   9.800 by C Holcombe, 3/11/98                         
                                                    All-Around 38.925 by C. Holcombe, 3/11/98