Terp of the Week: Stephanie Giameo
2/15/2013 7:00:00 AM | Terrapin Athletics
Feb. 15, 2013
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Each week during the 2012-13 season a Maryland student-athlete, who has shown excellence on and off the playing field, will be selected as the Solomon Eye Associates Terp of the Week. This week's Solomon Eye Associates Terp of the Week is Stephanie Giameo from gymnastics.
Stephanie won EAGL Gymnast of the Week after winning her first all-around gold in a quad meet last week. Giameo currently ranks fourth nationally on on beam.
By Anna LaBonte | Maryland Media Relations Student Assistant
Although every gymnastics apparatus is daunting, there's something about balance beam that seems particularly scary. With just four inches to maneuver on, the difference between sticking a landing and falling can come down to centimeters.
Stephanie Giameo not only embraces the beam, she thrives on it. The sophomore on the No. 18 Maryland gymnastics team is ranked fourth nationally on the apparatus and averages a 9.885 this season.
Giameo started the beam rotation for the Terps in 13 meets last season as a freshman, leading to a 13th-place finish in the event at the NCAA Fayetteville Regional. Coming into this season, Giameo worked hard and is now sixth in the rotation, the spot for the best gymnast in the event.
"In the preseason I focused on being more consistent," said Giameo, "and now I'm sixth in the rotation."
Giameo is the team's anchor on beam, but she stepped up in the Maryland's last meet as an all-arounder. With the Terps missing all-arounder freshman Kathy Tang to an injury, Giameo took home her first all-around gold with a 39.200 and never scored less than 9.725.
"I've been pretty consistent overall," said Giameo. "Being confident in every event is really important. You have your best event and your favorite event, but you have to keep focused on everything."
Although Giameo is a rock on beam, she cites floor exercise as her favorite event. In the Terps' last meet against NC State, New Hampshire and Towson, Giameo tied her personal-best with a 9.825 in the event.
"Floor is my favorite," said Giameo. "I have a lot of fun on floor. Smiling the whole time and showing off the dance, it really pumps up the crowd."
Giameo earned East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Gymnast of the Week honors for her all-around performance. In her first season on uneven bars, Giameo is averaging 9.735 in the event.
"I'm really excited," said Giameo of her success. "It shows how your hard work pays off. Every week we've had gymnasts win [personal honors] and it shows how good we've been."
Right now Giameo is focused on keeping the Terps as one of the top teams in the nation.
" We've been ranked this whole time," said Giameo. "Hitting 24-for-24 and having a perfect meet is the goal. We really want to score a 196 and continue to be the best in the EAGL."
Maryland takes the floor on Sunday against West Virginia and Rutgers. The Terps hope to avenge the two losses they suffered to the Mountaineers last season, and Giameo thinks this is the team to do it.
