March 28, 1999

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland women's gymnastics team has 12 gymnasts named to the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) All-Academic team this season, the most for the Terps in the four-year history of the EAGL. Overall, the league had a record 88 gymnasts represented from the eight teams with NC State leading the way with 17 gymnasts receiving the honor. Rutgers had the second highest with 14 and Maryland and New Hampshire each had 12 gymnasts honored. Rounding out the field were North Carolina (11), Pittsburgh (8), West Virginia (8) and Towson (6).

Among Maryland's 12 gymnasts, five were two-time award winners. Junior co-captain Christine Holcombe (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township), juniors Elize Burke (Bowdoinham, Me./Mt. Ararat) and Shelly Hernandez (Silver Spring, Md./Montgomery Blair), and sophomore Karyn Fein (Charlotte, N.C./Providence) were named to the EAGL All-Academic team for the second consecutive season. Senior Jenny Engel (Monrovia, Md./Linganore) also received her second EAGL all-academic honor. Fein had the top GPA out of the repeat honorees with a 3.84, while Engel and Burke both had GPA's of 3.6.

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 freshman. Gillian Cote (Fredericksburg, Va./James Monroe), Kit Johnson (Virginia Beach, Va./Salem), twin sisters Alyssa and Lisa Mealey (Bensalem, Pa./Villa Joseph Marie) and Laura Moon (Scottsdale, Ariz./Saguaro) all received academic honors in their first season with the Terps. In addition, Cote had the highest overall team GPA, recording a perfect 4.0.

Earlier this season, the women's gymnastics team received the Presidents Award, given to the Maryland team with the highest overall GPA.