March 31, 2011
Regionals Central
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland gymnastics team will travel south to the University of Georgia this weekend to compete as the fifth-seed in the Athens Region of the 2011 National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships. The Terrapins will compete Saturday at 4 p.m. in Georgia's Stegeman Coliseum.
“We've had a great week of practice,” said head coach Brett Nelligan. “The team is excited to get down to Georgia and compete.”
Following an undefeated regular season in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League and third-place finish at the conference championships, the Terps, the 28th-ranked team in the country, were one of six squads selected to the Athens Regional giving them their third-consecutive NCAA bid for the first time since 1999-2001.
In Athens, Maryland will compete against top-20 teams UCLA (No. 6), host Georgia (No. 8) and LSU (No. 18). EAGL foes NC State and West Virginia round out the Athens region.
“These are six incredible teams,” said Nelligan. “It's going to be an exciting meet.”
On Saturday, Maryland will begin on the uneven bars in the second rotation, followed by balance beam and floor exercise. The Terps will close out the meet in the sixth rotation on vault, the team's strongest event. Maryland is ranked 18th on vault with a 49.065 RQS.
Senior Abigail Adams, the 17th-ranked gymnast in the country, earned top all-around honors at the EAGL Championships with a meet-best 39.400 and top-10 finishes in all four events. As a junior, Adams earned a share of the conference's all-around title.
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