Feb. 11, 2009

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland gymnastics team has been road warriors of late and that trend continues this weekend. The Terrapins close out a month-long stint competing away from the Comcast Center Pavilion when they hit the road for a pair of meets with three evenly-matched opponents.

Maryland competes at Pittsburgh in a dual meet at 7 p.m. Friday in the Panther's Fitzgerald Field House before traveling to Kent, Ohio, for a matchup with host Kent State and Central Michigan at 1 p.m. Sunday in the Golden Flashes' M.A.C. Center.

Pittsburgh, a fellow member of the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL), enters Friday's meet having beaten its previous three opponents, including two league foes in NC State and Rutgers. Kent State and Central Michigan, members of the Mid-American Conference, have combined to win six of the last nine championships in their conference.

Maryland and all three opponents boast team season average scores separated by less than four-tenths of a point. The Chippewas rank 35th in the nation (193.240 average) followed by the Panthers at 36th (193.110), the Golden Flashes at 38th (192.990) and the Terps at 39th (192.915).

"Each of the teams competing this weekend have put up fairly comparable scores so far this season, so these ought to be interesting meets," head coach Bob Nelligan said. "Our team has worked hard this season at developing consistency, and these back-to-back meets offer an opportunity to test our progress in that regard."

The Terps took on Kent State in their season-opening meet on Jan. 9, emerging victorious by a margin of 191.450 to 188.700. Juniors Brandi George and Michele Brenner won on balance beam and on floor exercise, respectively, and sophomore Abbey Adams claimed the all-around title to help lead Maryland to its first win of 2009.

The current four-meet road trip, which is taking the Terps to competitions in four different states, represents the team's longest since competing in six consecutive meets away from College Park during the 2000 season. The Terps (8-3, 5-2 EAGL) are off to their best start since beginning the 2002 season 12-3.

Last Time Out
Maryland posted a team score of 193.675 to finish third out of five teams last Saturday at the 14th annual Governor's Cup in NC State's Reynolds Coliseum. Powered by eight top-10 finishes, the Terps recorded their best overall score in the Governor's Cup since 2004 to defeat fellow EAGL foe New Hampshire and state rival Towson. Junior Talia Tossone finished tied for third on balance beam (9.775) and tied for fifth on floor exercise (9.825), helping Maryland claim its best team score of the season on floor (48.825).

Scouting the Competition
• Pittsburgh (4-3, 2-2 EAGL) boasts a season-best team score of 195.300 and ranks second in the EAGL on balance beam (48.225 team average). Junior Dani Bryan ranks second in the league on vault (9.850 average), senior Alix Croop ranks second on uneven bars (9.780) and freshman Alicia Talucci stands tied for fifth in the EAGL on all-around (38.650).
• Kent State (5-3 overall, 2-0 MAC) has posted scores of 193.525 or better in each of its last four meets, defeating common opponents NC State and Denver in the process. The Golden Flashes rank 27th in the nation on vault with a team average of 48.640. Sophomores Christina Lenny (vault) and Christine Abou-Mitri (uneven bars) both won individual titles for Kent State versus Maryland on Jan. 9.
• Central Michigan (6-1, 4-0 MAC) suffered its only loss of the season last weekend at the hands of 16th-ranked Michigan. Junior Katie Simon is tied for 29th in the nation on uneven bars with a scoring average of 9.825.

National Rankings
The Terps currently rank among the nation's top 40 teams in all four events, coming in at 30th on vault (48.595 team average), 33rd on balance beam (47.960), 38th on vault (48.210) and 40th on floor exercise. Individually, three Maryland gymnasts rank among the top 75 in the country. Talia Tossone is tied for 63rd on balance beam (9.760 average), Abbey Adams is tied for 64th on floor exercise (9.790) and Brandi George ranks 75th on all-around (38.680).

Did You Know
Now with 486 career victories during his 31 seasons at Maryland, Bob Nelligan has more wins than all but one of the 17 head coaches of the teams comprising the Terps' 2009 schedule. Only West Virginia coach Linda Burdette, with 602 career wins, has more.

Up Next
Following this weekend's road competitions, the Terrapins return home for their first meet in College Park in nearly a month. Maryland plays host to EAGL opponent New Hampshire Friday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m. in the Comcast Center Pavilion. The meet is free and open to the public.