Sept. 2, 2006

On May 8, 2006 Rachel Colon and Angela Ferg were named co-captains of the Maryland Gymnastics Team for the 2007 season. These two seniors, who have also been roommates for the past three years, have had much collegiate gymnastics experience and have notched many individual and team successes during their careers. Now, they are eager to lead the squad that welcomes six incoming freshman, in their last season for the Terps.

According to head coach Bob Nelligan, "Rachel has steadily improved in all aspects of her life during her career as a Terrapin. For this reason I know I can count on her to be a strong leader, great performer, and positive role model, this could be her finest year." Concerning co-captain, Angela Ferg, Bob Nelligan comments, "Ferg is a story of perseverance and dedication. Coming to Maryland as a walk-on, Ferg not only developed into one of the Southeast Region's top vaulters but has now become a co-captain who earned a scholarship last year...she is poised to lead a young team back into the spotlight."

Here is a closer look at the leaders for Maryland Gymnastics this upcoming season...

Rachel Colon

Rachel Colon will graduate in the spring of 2007 with a degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice. She came to the University of Maryland in the fall of 2003 as a red-shirt freshman transfer from the University of Michigan. Prior to college, Colon competed for Infinity/Gold Medal Gymnastics Center and resided in Brightwaters, New York. She had a successful club gymnastics where she was the 2001 Level 10 Junior Olympic National All-Around Champion. In addition, Rachel was a four-time Elite International competitor.

During her freshman year at Maryland in 2004, she was a three-event competitor on vault, bars, and beam. In 2005, as a sophomore, she competed for the Terps on the same three events and earned the title of East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Specialist of the Week in January of 2005 for performance at the Maui Invitational. In addition, she also qualified as an alternate for beam at the 2005 NCAA South East Regionals. In 2006, Colon emerged as an all-around competitor, becoming an essential member of the floor lineup in addition to her other three events. She was named 1st team all EAGL on beam and 2nd team all EAGL in the all-around at the 2006 EAGL Conference Championships. Rachel also qualified as an individual competitor in the all-around to the 2006 NCAA South East Regional Championships. As a result of her success as a first year all-around competitor, at last year's end-of-the-year team banquet, she was named the "Most Improved Gymnast" for 2006 Terps Gymnastics Team.

Talking with Colon...

Q: How did it feel to be named a co-captain for next year? Colon: I am excited and proud to be named co-captain for next year. I have been through a lot in the past few years and done a lot of growing up. I am ready to be a leader.

Q: What are your thoughts and goals for the team in the upcoming 2007 season? Colon: I think we will have a very strong team next year. We need to stay focused during training and really work together to win Conference and make Nationals for the first time.

Q: What do you think needs to be the focus of pre-season in the fall to assure a successful 2007 season? Colon: In the fall we need to focus on getting in great shape and staying injury free. We need to build confidence and push ourselves harder so we are completely ready for season.

Q: What are your thoughts on the six incoming freshmen and how will you, as captain, help them adjust to college gymnastics and college in general? Colon: I am very excited for the freshman to join the team. They will be a major asset for us this year. As a captain I will try to keep them on track and motivated.

Angela Ferg

Angela Ferg will graduate in the spring of 2007 with a degree in kinesiology. She came to the University of Maryland as a freshman walk-on in the fall of 2003 and after a break-out sophomore season in 2005, she became a scholarship recipient for the next two years. Ferg is a native of Bel Air, Maryland. She competed at the club level for ACPR Gymnastics where she was a level 10 competitor and Regional and National Qualifier.

During her freshman season at Maryland in 2004, Ferg solely competed on the vault, but in 2005 as a sophomore she emerged as a three-event competitor on vault, beam, and floor. During her sophomore year, Angela placed in the top 10 on all three of these events at the EAGL Conference Championships. This past season, as a junior in 2006, Ferg was also a three-event competitor essential to the Terp's vault, beam, and floor lineups. She was named 2nd team All EAGL on vault and was named to the 2006 All EAGL Academic Team at last season's Conference Championships.

Talking with Ferg...

Q: How did it feel to be named a co- captain for next year? Ferg: Being named captain is a huge honor, as well as an incredible responsibility. I think [there are] a lot of opportunities for this team next year, and it feels amazing to be able to be in this sort of position with this sort of team. To me, this position means that I should, and will, do everything and anything I can for my teammates, and the team as a whole, to be everything we are capable of.

Q: What are your thoughts and goals for the team in the upcoming 2007 season? Ferg: Like I said, this is an amazing team with so much potential, it is all extremely exciting. I think we have a chance to start the season with a bang...surprise some people. With such a strong veteran team combined with some experienced and talented freshman, I have very high expectations. I would love to be showing skills that aren't being seen in regular college competition, and just beating the expectations. I know for the entire team there is the goal to win Conference, and to go on to be extremely successful at Regionals. We all have high hopes for Nationals, and establishing this team as an extremely strong contender. This year is looking to really be a break-out year for Maryland.

Q: What do you think needs to be the focus of pre-season in the fall to assure a successful 2007 season? Ferg: I think last year's team ended the season on a great note. Our last few meets will lead us into this coming year with an expected level of competition. I think through last year one thing we could learn from, is that we need to start out this season as strongly as we ended the last; and like you're pointing out, a lot of that is pre-season training. I think in pre-season we need to focus a lot on our fitness level as a team, and basically team cohesion. We need to get into the competition mind-set a little sooner by putting potential line-ups into practice earlier. Other than that, I know the coaches have taken into consideration a lot of input and are learning from past years of how they want to run pre-season, and I know they have a lot of great ideas that should prove very successful.

Q: What are your thoughts on the six incoming freshmen and how will you, as captain, help them adjust to college gymnastics and college in general? Ferg: Freshman year is always an adjusting period no matter where you are from, and it's always been extremely important [for the freshmen] to look to experienced upperclassmen. On the college life in general, I know these girls are very intelligent, and are used to quite a structured schedule. As far gymnastics goes, these girls are also used to big competition. I can only hope, since there aren't as many upperclassmen as usual, that we can merely fill in the gaps here and there for the spaces in which college can take you by surprise. I really hope that, as a captain, the girls feel they can come to me or Rachel, and really feel like they have a back blanket of support. I hope they can [use] us [for] guidance; and as long as they feel they have the team behind them, and they know that we will help them through whatever it is they need, I think that is the most important part.