March 27, 2010

DURHAM, N.H. - The Maryland gymnastics team competed in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League championships Saturday afternoon at University of New Hampshire. The Terps finished sixth in the league, and junior Abigail Adams won a share of the all-around title.

"Abigail had a great meet," head coach Brett Nelligan said. "She was very focused and hit all of her routines. She definitely deserves to be the top all-arounder in the league."

Adams finished in the top ten in every individual event. She finished tied for eighth on vault with a 9.825, second on bars with a 9.875, third on beam with a 9.825, and tied for sixth on floor with a score of 9.800. Her all-around score of 39.325 gave her the all-around crown in a three-way tie with Taylor Seaman of N.C. State and Kara Wright of North Carolina. Adams led the way for the Terrapins in every event.

Junior Kaitlyn Joseph tied her career high on bars with a 9.850 to tie for fourth in the league in the event.

The Terrapins' two strong freshmen, Ally Krikorian and Kesley Cofsky, finished in the top 15 on vault with 9.800s. Cofsky also tied for seventh on bars.

Senior Michele Brenner and Brandi George tied for eighth on beam with 9.775s.

"Even though we didn't have the meet we wanted today, we'll keep preparing for regionals," Nelligan said. "We can definitely learn from Saturday and keep moving forward."

The Terrapins will find out their NCAA Regionals fate Monday.

TERPS PLACE FIVE ON ALL-EAGL FIRST TEAMS
Chliszczyk named Assistant Coach of the Year

The Maryland gymnastics team placed five student-athletes on the East Atlantic Gymnastics League first teams announced at Friday night's banquet. Freshman Kesley Cofsky tied for the conference's Rookie of the Year, while junior Abigail Adams was named to three of the conference's five first teams and to one second team. Vicki Chliszczyk was named the conference's Assistant Coach of the Year.

Cofsky tied with Pittsburgh's Meaghan Biros for Rookie of the Year. Cofsky was a three-time Rookie of the Week this season. The Maryland freshmen class claimed the award in six of the 11 weeks of the season. Heading into the championships on Saturday, Cofsky is in the top 15 in the EAGL on vault, bars and floor.

"Kesley was so consistent for us this year, which was great for us to see for a freshman," head coach Brett Nelligan said. "It was great to see."

Chliszczyk has been a member of the Maryland coaching staff for the last five years. She coaches beam and helped beam become one of the Terrapins' strongest and most consistent events.

"I was very happy to see Vicki win this award," Nelligan said. "She has worked so hard and she has been such a huge help to me in transitioning to the head coach role. She definitely deserves this."

The EAGL names first and second teams in each of the four events and the all-around. Terrapins were named to nine of the ten teams and Maryland was represented on each first team.

Adams earned first team honors on bars, floor and in the all-around. She owns the Terps' season high scores on each of those three events. She was also named to the vault second team. Adams is in the top ten of the conference on vault, bars, floor and the all-around. In 2009, Adams was named to the first teams for floor, bars and the all-around and second team on vault.

Freshman Ally Krikorian was named to the first team on vault, as she heads into this weekend's championships leading the conference in vault. Krikorian earned four scores of 9.900 or higher this season on vault and three straight in the last two weeks.

Senior Talia Tossone and Brandi George were named to the first and second team on beam, respectively. Tossone, who averages a 9.734 on beam, is a three-time first team beam honoree. She was named to the second team her freshman year and ended this season seventh in the conference. George was named to the first team in her first three seasons and finished tied for fourth in the conference on beam.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Joseph earned a spot on the second team for bars. She earned a new career high of 9.850 this season and finished No. 12 in the conference. Senior Michele Brenner was named to the second team for floor exercise. She finished the regular season No. 12 in the conference. Brenner is a two-time first team honoree in floor exercise.