March 19, 2011
WASHINGTON - Abigail Adams won the all-around title and the University of Maryland gymnastics team placed third Saturday afternoon at the 2011 East Atlantic Gymnastics League Championships, hosted by George Washington.
"I'm just extremely proud of what this team has accomplished this season and of the performance they put up tonight," said head coach Brett Nelligan, who guided the Terps to their highest finish at the conference tournament since 2005. "Our girls can really hold their heads high after a meet like that."
After earning a share of last season's EAGL All-Around title, Adams scored a meet-best 39.400 Saturday after finishing no lower than eighth in every individual event. Adams earned top honors on beam with a 9.925 while tying for second on floor exercise at 9.875. On vault, the Spring, Texas, native tied for fifth and, on bars, Adams tied for eighth.
"Abbey's performance was on another level tonight," said Nelligan. "She showed again why she's the best gymnast in the EAGL conference."
Sophomore Ally Krikorian joined Adams as an event winner by posting a championship-best 9.900 on vault. "Ally's vault was nearly perfect," said Nelligan."I was happy to see her take the title."
Senior Kaitlin Joseph tied Adams for eighth on bars with a 9.750 while Terrapin underclassmen Elizabethe Manzi and Kesley Cofsky placed in the top-10 on balance beam.
Finishing the 2011 regular season with an RQS of 194.940, Nelligan and the Terps will learn where they'll compete in the NCAA Regionals on Monday.
"The team is excited to see where our postseason destination will be," said Nelligan."
Trio of Terps Named to All-EAGL First Teams
Adding to their third-place finish at the 2011 EAGL Championships, coach Nelligan and the Maryland gymnastics team placed three student-athletes on the EAGL first teams, which were announced at the conference's annual awards banquet.
Adams was named to the all-around and balance beam first teams while freshman Katy Dodds and Krikorian earned first-team honors on vault.
Adams finished the 2011 regular season with three all-around titles and posted a career-best 39.475 all-around score against Pittsburgh on Feb. 12. She also tied her personal career bests on beam (9.875) and floor (9.925) on Mar. 4 and Feb. 18, respectively.
Twice winning EAGL weekly honors, Dodds was Maryland's only rookie to compete in multiple events in each of the Terps' nine meets in 2011. A Gaithersburg, Md., native, Dodds posted her career-best 9.925 on vault in Maryland's road win at Pittsburgh. She also posted at least one score of 9.800 or higher in ever meet this season and holds the team-best RQS vault score of 9.850.
Krikorian followed Dodds with a 9.820 RQS on vault and has hit scores of 9.900 or higher in the event in two of her last five meets. A Costa Mesa, Calif., native, Krikorian has hit 9.800 or better on vault in seven consecutive meets.
Maryland also added five gymnasts on the All-EAGL second teams: Kyra Phillips (vault), Adams (bars and floor), Jennifer Iovino (beam) and Kesley Cofsky (all-around). Adams was also named Maryland's team MVP.
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