Gymnastics to Open Season With Red vs. Black Intrasquad
12/10/2014 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Maryland gymnastics team will host its annual Red and Black intrasquad scrimmage this Friday at 7 p.m. in the XFINITY Center Pavilion. The meet, which is free and open to the public, gives the Terps an opportunity to experience a competition-like atmosphere while showcasing their routines to fans.
“I'm really excited for this Friday's intrasquad,” head coach Brett Nelligan said. “Our practices have been great so far and the coaching staff and I are really looking forward to seeing how the team handles it.”
Entering his sixth season as head coach, Nelligan enjoys the opportunity to perform in front of fans.
“We have an incredible fan base and the team really feeds off their energy,” Nelligan said. “This is something our team looks forward to every season, getting in front of our great crowd.”
With an unprecedented mix of depth and talent, this year's team should prove a balanced attack of savvy upperclassmen and exciting freshman. The meet will be the first chance to view a squad that features 14 returning letterwinners from last season and four incoming freshman. This includes senior Stephanie Giameo and freshman Abbie Epperson who were recently named to the Big Ten Women's Gymnastics Watch List by the conference office on Thursday.
The team will separate into two squads, Red and Black, and compete against each other in all apparatuses. Various Maryland student athletes will join the Terps to serve as celebrity judges. This year's judges include: Dez Wells (men's basketball), Alex Twine and Zach Dancel (football), Pat Cole (men's track and field), Alex Doody and Hope Gouterman (women's soccer), Taylor Salandra (women's lacrosse) and Kylie Datil (softball).
Fans are encouraged to stay after the meet for a team autograph session.
Red Squad
Notes: Tallied a career-high score of 9.800 on floor at New Hampshire and scored a 9.700 or higher on floor in nine meets last season.
Notes: Competed on floor, vault and bars for the first two meets before missing the last 11 meets due to a season-ending injury. Ranked eighth nationally on vault and 20th on floor during the 2013 season.
Notes: Competed on beam in two meets last season and earned All-EAGL Scholastic team honors.
Notes: Posted a career-high score of 9.800 on beam twice last season as well as a career-high score of 9.825 on bars and a career-high of 9.800 on vault. Tied for ninth on bars at the EAGL Championships and recorded a score of 9.700 or higher on bars and beam in nine meets last season.
Notes: Competed at Apollo Gymnastics in Woodbridge, Va. and was a two-time Junior Olympics National Qualifier. Placed 22nd in the all-around competition at the 2014 Junior Olympic Championships and was a Washington Post all-met selection.
Notes: Competed on bars in one meet last season.
Notes: Competed on beam in all 13 meets and vault in nine meets last season. Recorded a season-high of 9.775 on beam at North Carolina State.
Notes: Missed all thirteen meets last season due to a season-ending injury. Earned All-EAGL Scholastic team honors.
Notes: Posted a career-high of 9.900 on vault, 9.875 on bars, 9.900 on floor and 39.325 in all-around last season. Tied for first on bars at the EAGL Championships and tied for 10th on vault at NCAA Regionals. Named to the EAGL Bars First Team, Floor First Team and All-Around Second Team.
Black Squad
Notes: Scored a career-high of 9.825 on vault at NCAA Regionals and 9.775 on bars vs. Pittsburgh with Towson and George Washington last season. Placed seventh on vault at the EAGL Championships and was named to the NACGC/W Scholastic All-America Team.
Notes: Competed for Metroplex Gymnastics in Allen, Tx. Placed eighth in all-around competition, fourth on floor and fourth on bars at the 2014 Junior Olympic National competition.
Notes: Posted a career-high of 9.825 on bars last season and was named to All-EAGL Vault First Team, Beam First Team and All-Around First Team. Placed first on beam at the EAGL Championships and tied for fifth on beam at the NCAA Regionals last season.
Notes: Competed at Rochester Gymnastics Academy in Rochester, N.Y. and was a four time Junior Olympic National Qualifier.
Notes: Competed on vault in one meet last season before missing the last 12 meets due to a season-ending injury.
Notes: Received a career-high score of 9.775 on floor against West Virginia last season. Named to the All-EAGL Scholastic team and is a member of the Maryland Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
Notes: Tied a career-high mark of 9.850 on bars and tied for third on vault at the EAGL Championships last season. Tied for 10th on vault at the NCAA Regionals and was named to the EAGL Vault First Team and Bars First Team.
Notes: Competed with MG Elite at Monmouth Gymnastics Academy in Morganville, N.J. Qualified for the 2013 National Junior Olympics Invitational Tournament and earned first-team all-central honors.
Notes: Competed on beam and floor in all 13 meets last season. Tied a career-high mark of 9.900 on floor and scored a 9.700 or higher on floor in ten meets. Voted to the EAGL Floor First Team.
Notes: Competed on floor in 11 meets last season and tied a career high on floor with a 9.825. Posted a 9.700 or higher on floor in 10 meets over the course of last season.
Players Mentioned
