April 8, 1999
College Park, Md. - The Terrapins (27-10) travel to Morgantown, W.Va., on April 10, to compete in the 1999 NCAA Southeast Region Championships at 6 p.m. This marks the Terps' second consecutive visit to the regional championship and the 10th time they will be making the trip since joining the region in the 1984 season. The Terps are looking to continue their season of new highs at the regionals where they have never finished better than seventh. Maryland recorded its best score in a regional competition last year when it registered a 190.100. The Terps will also be looking to qualify for their first-ever NCAA Championship. In order to so, the Terps must finish in first or second place at the regional championships.
THIS SEASON AGAINST SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TEAMS
Maryland has amassed a record of 5-4 in nine meetings against three different regional opponents this season. It has faced No. 20 West Virginia, No. 23 NC State and Towson, all EAGL conference members, three times each this season. The Terps have gone 2-1 against the Mountaineers and the Tigers, and 1-2 against the Wolfpack. Maryland has not faced Alabama or Ohio State this season. The results against NCAA Southeast Region Championship teams are as follows:
MD SCORE OPP. SCORE
4th Annual Governor's Cup in Raleigh, N.C.
2/7 193.200 at NC State 193.550 L
vs. Towson 192.875 W
2/13 195.175 No. 12 West. Va. 193.100 W
2/26 194.500 at Towson 194.875 L
Wolfpack Invitational in Raleigh, N.C.
3/6 195.425 at NC State 195.375 W
3/20 193.100 at No. 14 West Va. 195.400 L
4th Annual EAGL Championships
3/27 195.475 No. 25 NC State 196.050 L
Towson 194.325 W
No. 20 West Va. 194.100 W
THE LAST TIME OUT AT THE REGIONALS ...
Maryland finished in seventh place with a score of 190.100 against No. 1 Georgia, No. 4 Florida, No. 6 West Virginia, No. 20 NC State, No. 24 Kentucky and Towson. It marked the Terps' highest score ever in regional competition. The final results of the 1998 NCAA Southeast Region Championship were:
1. Georgia 196.950
2. Florida 195.375
3. Kentucky 193.925
4. Towson 192.650
5. West Virginia 191.875
6. NC State 191.875
7. MARYLAND 190.100
TERP INDIVIDUALS IN 1998 SOUTHEAST REGIONALS
In last season's NCAA Southeast Region Championship, Maryland was led by then-sophomore Christine Holcombe and then-junior Jenny Engel. Holcombe finished in 14th place on vault, 22nd place on floor and 24th place on beam with scores of 9.750, 9.675 and 9.575, respectively. Her scores on vault and floor were team-highs for the meet. Engel placed 22nd on beam with a team-high score of 9.675. Also performing well for the Terps were then-seniors Megyn Byrnes and Stacy Breidenbach. Byrnes finished 22nd on floor and bars with scores of 9.675 and 9.750, respectively, while Breidenbach placed 20th on vault and floor with scores of 9.675.
MARYLAND SCHEDULE & RESULTS
( 27-10 OVERALL, 11-5 EAGL)
J9 at Radford W, 192.375-185.125
J23 at GW Invite 1st of 6 (189.825)
J31 at UCLA 3rd of 4 (188.400)
F7 at Governor's Cup 3rd of 4 (193.2)
F13# No. 12 W. Va. W, 195.175-193.10
Temple W, 195.175-183.150
F17# GW W, 194.600-192.175
F26 at Towson L, 194.875-194.500
F28 at Nebraska 3rd of 4 (195.200)
M6 at Wolfpack Invite 1st of 6 (195.425)
M13# Fla., RI, GW 2nd of 4 (195.575)
M20 at West Virginia 2nd of 4 (193.100)
M27# EAGL's 2nd of 8 (195.475)
A10 at NCAA Regionals 6:00 p.m.
A22-24 at NCAA Nationals TBA
# Indicates home meet
Shannon Buckley Jr. 5'2 AA
Elize Burke Jr. 5'5 AA
Gillian Cote Fr. 5'6 AA
Rachel Dolbin* Jr. 5'5 AA
Denise Driscoll Sr. 5'2 AA
Jenny Engel Sr. 5'2 AA
Karyn Fein So. 5'2 AA
Shelly Hernandez Jr. 5'8 AA
Christine Holcobme* Jr. 5'0 AA
Kit Johnson Fr. 5'5 AA
Alyssa Mealey Fr. 5'2 AA
Lisa Mealey Fr. 5'2 AA
Laura Moon Fr. 5'3 AA
Jodi Morgan So. 5'3 AA
Jenna Murphy So. 5'2 AA
Chrissy Samwell Fr. 5'6 AA
*Denotes Captains
AA Indicates All-Around
1999 SE REGION STANDINGS
(Top 7 Teams; As of March 30, 1999)
Team RQS
Georgia 197.4437
Florida 195.6375
Maryland 195.3187
West Virginia 194.9125
NC State 194.7250
Towson 194.5250
George Washington 193.7687
RQS - Regional Qualifying Score
MARYLAND HEAD COACH BOB NELLIGAN NAMED EAGL COACH OF THE YEAR
Bob Nelligan was the named the EAGL Coach of the Year as voted on by the other EAGL coaches. It is the first award Nelligan has received in his 21-plus year career in gymnastics. This season, Nelligan has guided the Terps to new heights. After not being selected to the pre-season top 25, Maryland finished the regular season ranked No. 13 in the nation and finished atop the EAGL standings for the first time in the four-year history of the league. Maryland gymnasts broke records on an almost weekly basis this season and broke the all-time team high on four occasions. Maryland recorded a score of 195.175 or better in five of its 12 meets, after never recording a team score above a 193.8 in the 13-year history of the program. Nelligan has compiled a lifetime record of 336-302-2 (.527 winning percentage) in his 21 years at Maryland and is one of only three current coaches who has been at Maryland for more than 20 years.
Against this year's Southeast Regional opponents, Nelligan has compiled a record of 40-78. He is 0-5 against Alabama, 17-22 against NC State, 0-5 against Ohio State, 10-31 against Towson and 13-23 against West Virginia.
GILLIAN COTE EARNS EAGL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR HONORS
Freshman Gillian Cote (Fredericksburg, Va./James Monroe) has been Maryland's top gymnast this year. She took the gymnastics world by storm and garnered East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Rookie of the Year in her freshman campaign. It was only the second time in the four-year history of the league that a Terps gymnast had received the honor.
Cote, currently the 8th-ranked all-around gymnast and 7th-ranked beam gymnast in the country, has shattered almost every record ever set at Maryland in her first season. She has broken the all-time all-around record on four occasions and has also recorded the all-time high score on bars (9.9) three times, beam (9.950) and floor (9.9) twice. Her record setting all-around score of 39.425 is also the highest by an EAGL gymnast this season. Cote currently has set four of the top five all-time high scores for all-around in school history and three of the top five bars scores.
As a result of her outstanding performances through the season, Cote received the EAGL's Gymnast of the Week award three times and also garnered first team All-EAGL honors on bars, beam, floor and all-around. She was a unanimous selection for all-around and also received second team honors on vault.
She has competed in the all-around competition in all 11 of Maryland's meets and has recorded a score of 39.150 or better in six of those meets. Cote has taken first place in the all-around five of the Terps' meets, including three consecutive meets on Feb. 26, Feb. 28 and March 6, all on the road.
At the EAGL Championships, Cote tied for second place on beam with a 9.925, finished in third place on floor with a score of 9.875 and
placed seventh on vault with a 9.775.
MOON RISES ABOVE THE COMPETITION
Freshman Laura Moon (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) has also been a great addition to the Terrapin lineup this season. She earned first team All-EAGL honors for all-around and on beam and second team honors on bars and floor. During the season, Moon received EAGL Gymnast of the Week once.
This accolade was awarded to Moon after she recorded what was then the all-time school record for all-around. She scored a career-high 39.350 on Feb. 17 against George Washington, and also scored career-highs on vault (9.850) and floor (9.875). Her score on vault tied the all-time high score set in 1997 by Shelly Hernandez.
Moon has been an all-around competitor in 10 of the Terps' 11 meets and has recorded a score of 39.150 or better in five of those appearances.
She has tied for the all-time high vault score (9.850) twice this season and has recorded the third-highest beam score in school history (9.9) and the third-highest all-around score (39.350).
KIT JOHNSON DAZZLES ON BEAM AND VAULT
Freshman Kit Johnson (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) has not received as much attention as some of the other Terps, but has been just as important in their success. Johnson, currently ranked No. 11 in the nation on beam, has silently risen to the elite ranks on beam and vault, earning first team all-EAGL honors on both events.
On beam, Johnson has recorded the second highest score in school history, a 9.925, on two occasions. She has also recorded a 9.9 twice, marking the third highest score in Maryland history. On beam this season, Johnson was won the title in two of the Terps' 11 meets and has placed second in four meets.
Johnson has achieved the fourth highest vault score in school history (9.825) twice, including once at the 4th Annual Governor's Cup, placing her first. She also recorded a 9.825 against then- No. 15 Florida, George Washington and Rhode Island, earning her a third-place finish.
At the EAGL Championship, Johnson tied for second place on beam with a 9.925, tying a career-high. On vault, Johnson scored a 9.775 to tie for seventh place overall.
TWIN SISTERS SOAR ON BARS
Freshman twin sisters, Lisa and Alyssa Mealey (Bensalem, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie), have stepped up their bar performances in the second half of the season, adding greater depth to Maryland's lineup.
Both twins have scored career-highs three times this season, including twice in the same meet.
Lisa has competed in 11 of the Terps' 12 meets and has recorded a score of 9.725 or better in 10 meets. She also won the bars title twice, once against George Washington in a dual meet and once at the George Washington Invitational. She also added two third-place finishes and one fourth-place finish during the regular season. At the EAGL Championships, Lisa tied her career-high with a score of 9.85, placing her in a tie for fifth.
Alyssa has competed in every meet this season for the Terps on bars, and in the past six meets, has recorded a score of 9.7 or better five times. At the EAGL Championships, Alyssa scored a career-high 9.8 for the third time this season to finish in a tie for 15th place.
TERPS GYMNASTS IN REGION RANKINGS
Freshmen lead the way for the Terps in the Southeast Region rankings with Cote and Moon ranking fourth and fifth for all-around, respectively. Junior co-captains Christine Holcombe (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) and Rachel Dolbin (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville) are ranked No. 14 and No. 18 for all-around, respectively.
On vault, the Terps have four gymnasts ranked in the top 25 with Johnson at No. 11, Cote at No. 12 and Moon at No. 14. Dolbin is ranked No. 23.
Cote is the only Maryland gymnast ranked in the top 10 on bars, as she is seventh in the region. Moon and Lisa Mealey are tied for No. 15.
Beam, Maryland's strongest event, has three Terps ranked in the top 10. Cote is second in the region, Johnson is tied for third and Moon is seventh. Sophomore Karyn Fein (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) is ranked No. 24 after consistently posting scores of 9.8 all season long.
Cote, once again, is the Terps' highest-ranked gymnast on floor in a tie for ninth. Moon is tied for No. 15 in the region.
CHAMPIONSHIP
Maryland recorded the second highest score in school history, a 195.475, to finish in second place at the 1999 EAGL Championships on March 27 at Cole Field House. This marked the Terps' highest score and best finish in an EAGL Championship in the four-year history of the league. Maryland also set a school and EAGL Championship record on beam, recording a score of 49.425. The Terps placed four of their six gymnasts in the top five spots with freshmen Gillian Cote (Fredericksburg, Va./James Monroe) and Kit Johnson (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem) tying for second place with scores of 9.925. Junior co-captain Christine Holcombe (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) and freshman Laura Moon (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) tied for fourth place with two other gymnasts, after both scoring 9.9. Moon was Maryland's highest finisher in the all-around competition, placing second with a score of 39.275, the second best of her career. Cote also scored a 9.875 on floor to finish in a tie for third place.
12 TERPS GYMNASTS NAMED TO EAGL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
The Terps had 12 gymnasts named to the EAGL All-Academic team this season, the most for Maryland in the four-year history of the league. Among the 12 gymnasts, five were two-timeaward winners. These included Christine Holcombe, juniors Elize Burke (Bowdoinham, Me./Mt. Ararat) and Shelly Hernandez (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair), and Karyn Fein, all of whom were named to the team for the second straight year. Being represented for the first time were senior Denise Driscoll (Sewell, N.J./Paul VI), junior Shannon Buckley (Scotch Plains, N.J./Scotch Plains Fanwood) and five of the Terps' six freshmen.
Gillian Cote, Kit Johnson, Alyssa and Lisa Mealey, and Laura Moon all received all-academic honors in their rookie seasons. In addition, Cote had the highest overall team GPA with a perfect 4.0.
Earlier this season, the women's gymnastics team received the President's Award, given to the Maryland team with the highest overall GPA.
CO-CAPTAINS STEPPING IT UP IN CRUNCH TIME
Junior co-captains Christine Holcombe and Rachel Dolbin have performed exceptionally in the second half of the season, providing the lead
ership that has vaulted Maryland to the regional championship.
Holcombe has done especially well in the last four meets, recording the best outing of her career on March 6 at the Wolfpack Invitational. She recorded a career-high 38.975 in the all-around competition, placing fourth overall. She also recorded a career-high on beam with a score of 9.825, and tied a career-high on bars with a score of 9.8. On March 20, in Maryland's last regular season meet against then-No. 21 West Virginia, Ball State and Rutgers, Holcombe scored a career-high 9.8 on vault, finishing third, and tied her career-high on bars with a score of 9.8. At the EAGL Championships, Holcombe recorded a career-high on beam to finish in a tie for fouth place.
Dolbin has performed just as well in the last four meets, recording season-highs on vault (9.8), bars (9.725), floor (9.825) and all-around (38.6). At the EAGL Championships, Dolbin recorded score of 9.775 on vault, beam and floor, finishing seventh, 17th and 20th, respectively.
MARYLAND VS. SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TEAMS
The Terps' face off tonight against three East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) teams and two other squads that they have not faced in 10 years. Maryland has faced conference members No. 20 West Virginia, No. 23 NC State and Towson three times each this season, compiling records of 2-1 against West Virginia and Towson and a record of 1-2 against NC State. The Terps will also meet up with No. 2 Alabama and No. 11 Ohio State, marking the first time Maryland has faced the Crimson Tide since 1989 season and the first time that it has competed against the Buckeyes since the 1988 season. Series histories against each of the teams are as follows:
ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE
The Series: Alabama leads 7-0
The Series in SE Regionals: NA
Last Maryland Win: NA
Last Alabama Win: 2/25/89, at Alabama (190.500-185.200)
Highest Maryland Score: 185.200, 2/25/89
Highest Alabama Score: 190.500, 2/25/89
1999 Series: NA
In last five meetings: Alabama leads 5-0
NC STATE WOLFPACK
The Series: NC State leads 22-17
The Series in SE Regionals: NC State leads 3-1
Last Maryland Win: 3/6/99, at NC State (195.425- 195.375)
Last NC State Win: 3/27/99, at Maryland (196.050-195.475)
Highest Maryland Score: 195.475, 3/27/99
Highest NC State Score: 196.050, 3/27/99
1999 Series: NC State leads 2-1
In last five meetings: NC State leads 4-1
OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
The Series: Ohio State leads 5-0
The Series in SE Regionals: NA
Last Maryland Win: NA
Last Ohio State Win: 3/12/88, at Penn State (183.900-180.650)
Highest Maryland Score: 180.650, 3/12/88
Highest Ohio State Score: 183.900, 3/12/88
1999 Series: NA
In last five meetings: Ohio State leads 5-0
TOWSON UNIVERSITY TIGERS
The Series: Towson leads 35-10
The Series in SE Regionals: Tied 2-2
Last Maryland Win: 3/27/99, at Maryland (195.475-194.325)
Last Towson Win: 2/26/99, at Towson (194.875-194.500)
Highest Maryland Score: 195.475, 3/27/99
Highest Towson Score: 194.875, 2/26/99
1999 Series: Maryland leads 2-1
In last five meetings: Maryland leads 3-2
WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS
The Series: West Virginia leads 23-13
The Series in SE Regionals: West Virginia leads 6-3
Last Maryland Win: 3/27/99, at Maryland (195.475-194.100)
Last West Virginia Win: 3/20/99, at West Virginia (195.400-193.100)
Highest Maryland Score: 195.475, 3/27/99
Highest West Virginia Score: 195.500, 3/21/98
1999 Series: Maryland leads 2-1
In last five meetings: West Virginia leads 3-2
TERPS IN THE RANKINGS
NATIONAL RANKINGS (As of March 30)
Team RQS
1. Georgia 197.4437
2. Alabama 197.0875
3. Utah 197.0750
4. Michigan 196.7000
5. LSU 196.1562
6. Penn State 196.0375
7. Nebraska 195.9437
8. Stanford 195.8687
9. Arizona State 195.7437
10. Florida 195.6375
11. Ohio State 195.6125
12. Oregon State 195.5312
13. Denver 195.4187
14. MARYLAND 195.3187
15. UCLA 195.2937
16. Iowa State 195.1875
17. Utah State 195.1312
18. Boise State 195.0750
19. Minnesota 195.0000
20. West Virginia 194.9125
21. Kentucky 194.8625
22. Oklahoma 194.8250
23. NC State 194.7250
24. Brigham Young 194.6375
25. Arizona 194.6312
REGIONAL RANKINGS (As of March 30)
1. Georgia 197.3437
2. Florida 195.4125
3. MARYLAND 195.1000
4. West Virginia* 194.8000
5. NC State* 194.2812
6. Towson* 194.2125
7. George Washington 193.2812
8. North Carolina* 193.1500
9. Radford 189.9687
10. William & Mary 189.7125
11. James Madison 189.6437
*Indicates EAGL Opponent
RQS - Regional Qualifying Score
TERP RANKINGS IN EACH EVENT NATIONAL
Vault - T16th
Bars - 18th
Beam - 5th
SOUTHEAST REGION
Vault - T3rd
Bars - 3rd
Beam - 2nd
Floor - 6th
EAGL
Vault - 2nd
Bars - 2nd
Beam - 1st
Floor - 4th
