April 13, 1999

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - It was announced today that University of Maryland freshmen gymnasts Gillian Cote (Fredericksburg, Va./James Monroe) and Laura Moon (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) have qualified as all-around competitors for the NCAA Championships on April 22-24 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

They are two of twelve individual competitors who will compete against all-around gymnasts representing the 12 teams competing in the meet. Moon and Cote were selected to the championships after strong performances at the 1999 Southeast Region Championships on April 10 in Morgantown, W.Va.

Cote, the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Rookie of the Year, finished in sixth place in the all-around competition with a score of 38.950. Cote also tied for third place on bars, scoring a 9.825, and recorded a 9.725 on beam to tie for 14th place. Cote finished the regular season ranked No. 8 in the country for all-around and No. 7 on beam. She broke the all-time school high for all-around on four occasions and recorded the all-time school high on bars three times, on floor twice, and on beam once. Her record-setting all-around score of 39.425 was also the highest by an EAGL gymnast during the season. She was awarded EAGL Gymnast of the Week three times and garnered first team All-EAGL honors on bars, beam, floor and all-around. Cote was a unanimous selection for all-around and also received second team honors on vault.

Moon placed fourth in the all-around competition at the region championships, scoring a 39.050. This included a score of 9.875 on beam, the second highest score of her career, placing her in a tie for second place. Moon also finished 12th on floor with a score of 9.825 and finished 19th on vault, scoring a 9.725. The No. 15 all-around gymnast in the country at the close of the regular season, Moon earned first team All-EAGL honors for all-around and on beam, and second team honors on bars and floor after a superb rookie season. Moon was awarded EAGL Gymnast of the Week once after recording what was then the all-time school record for all-around, a career-high 39.350. During the season, she tied the all-time high vault score twice and recorded the third-highest beam score in school history and the third-highest all-around score.

The complete team and competitor list is as follows:

TEAM COMPETITION

      Team           Regional Score
 1.   Georgia           197.375   
 2.   UCLA              197.025
 3.   Michigan          196.750
 4.   Alabama           196.625
 5.   Utah              196.425
 6.   Nebraska          196.325
      Penn State        196.325
 8.   West Virginia     195.275
 9.   Florida           195.225
10.   Arizona State     195.100
11.   Stanford          194.675
12.   Louisiana State   194.600

INDIVIDUAL ALL-AROUND COMPETITORS

                                     Regional Score
 1.   Heidi Hornbeek (Arizona)          39.375
 2.   Amy Langendorf (NC State)         39.150
 3.   Sarah Wentworth (Auburn)          39.150
 4.   Amber Jamison (Utah St.)          39.075
 5.   Laura Moon (Maryland)             39.050
 6.   Tanya Huey (Iowa State)           39.050
 7.   Lanna Apisukh (Washington)        39.025
 8.   Sarah Balogach (Auburn)           39.000
 9.   Nicole Bills (Central Michigan)   38.975
10.   Lindsay Vargas (Ohio State)       38.975
11.   Gillian Cote (Maryland)           38.950
12.   Lauren Riesenman (Washington)     38.925