Dec. 3, 2007 - Vicki Chliszczyk
Hi Guys! Hope everyone had a relaxing weekend. This past week was a busy one for the Terps, as the Maryland gymnastics team held its second intra-squad meet on Friday.
First of all, I have to give a special thanks to our "celebrity guest" coaches and judges from around the athletic department. Our judges were freshman water polo team member Maggie Eicks and Jermaine Lemons, senior linebacker for the Emerald Bowl-bound football team. We also had two national champions on the judging panels, track-star Dominic Berger and goalkeeper Kat Masson, who helped lead our field hockey team to back-to-back national championships in 2005 and 2006.
Our celebrity coaches did a great job too. In his first year as a celebrity coach, Andrew Copelan, offensive coordinator for men's lacrosse, led the black team. Marybeth Freeman, field hockey assistant coach, led the red team. Marybeth is a veteran celebrity gymnastics coach and entered the competition with a 1-0 record. The coaches were supportive of all the girls and weren't afraid to throw a little trash talk at one another's way!
I was very pleased with how the girls on both teams competed. You could really see an improvement from the first intra-squad, just one week before. Everyone seemed much more comfortable and confident and it showed in their performances.
I was eager to see how our four freshmen would handle the feel of a real collegiate competition. Kaitlin Joseph rocked a huge Yurchenko full and didn't look back from there as she rolled on to hit 4-for-4 routines and win the all-around. Abigail Adams had a little trouble on bars, but made up for it by winning beam and floor. She is a graceful gymnast and will be one the judges and fans will love to watch all season. Local star Kelsey McDermid boomed a nice vault and hit a solid beam routine. She is also putting the finishing touches on a new bars release sequence in the gym that should be ready for our first competition. Finally, Alyssa Valbert was held out of action on Friday due to an injury to her feet, but she will be ready when season rolls around and will be a force on vault, bars and floor.
The bulk of our team is in the sophomore class. We have six true sophomores and a newcomer to the group, Lisa Reifschneider, who transferred in this year. Reifschnieder is a sophomore by credits, but a freshman by eligibility. She is nursing a small knee injury and only competed bars, where she rocked a great set. Reifschneider will be a regular in the floor line-up this year with her great tumbling and expressive dance style. Brandi George, last year's EAGL Rookie of the Year, hit three of four routines and showcased her George I and II on beam. Talia Tossone returned to action this week sticking a solid vault and a nice beam routine. Tossone will look to upgrade her vault and solidify her floor passes. Margaux Meeks, our "Florida girl," got off to a great start last season before hurting her knee. "Mo", as everyone calls her, rocked a bar routine and gave notice that she is back in a very big way. Allie Dama competed on bars and sky-ed her full-twisting double tuck dismount. Candice King competed on vault, bars and beam. King hit a nice clean vault, winning the event and turned in a solid bar routine. Rounding out the sophomore class is Michele Brenner, who competed in bars, beam and floor. Brenner is set to have a break-out year this season. She put in extra time in the off-season and it is really paying off now.
I saved our team leaders for last. These three ladies have done a great job leading the team during the pre-season. Kelsey Nelligan's vault on Friday was so big (well, it was even too big)! She had a little trouble with the landing, but showing a huge vault like that is promising. Lindsey Bonomo battled some sickness early in the week, but nailed three for three routines; she hit a big Yurchenko full vault and tied for first on floor. Gretchen Kittelberger has worked harder in the last four years than some gymnasts do in a lifetime; her brand new vault has the potential to take her deep in the line-up and she has re-tooled her bar set. Her beam has never looked more confident and she has some of the hardest tumbling passes on our team.
In the end, the red team pulled out a narrow victory and coach Marybeth owns the bragging rights for another year! Sorry Andrew.
Thanks for reading this week; I hope to see you all at the first meet against Ohio State in the Comcast Center Pavilion on Friday, January 11 at 7:00 p.m.
GO TERPS!
