Rutgers Gymnasts Place Fourth In USAG Nationals
Apr 17 | Women's Gymnastics
DENTON, Texas. (April 16, 2010) - The Rutgers gymnastics team scored a 190.700 to place fourth in the finals of the USAG Collegiate National Championships Friday night inside Kitty Magee Arena on the campus of Texas Women's University.
Bridgeport captured the team championship with a 193.975, while Texas Women's University finished second with a 193.600 and Cornell placed third with a 192.525.
The USAG Collegiate National Championships marked the final team competition for Rutgers. However, several Scarlet Knights will compete in the individual event finals Saturday at 5 p.m. Senior Laura Sevarino (Cheshire, Conn.) will compete in the finals on the vault and in the floor exercise. Lewandowski will join Sevarino in Saturday's vault competition. Junior Leigh Heinbaugh (Sicklerville, N.J.) will compete in the finals on the beam, while fellow junior Erica Gerlach (Papillion, Neb.) will participate in the bars event finals.
"Our goal was to make nationals as a team and we reached the finals and proved we could compete," said Rutgers head gymnastics coach Chrystal Cholet-Norton. "It was a positive ending to our season. We were really proud of the way our seniors stepped up and led us in several events. It was a great experience for our underclassmen and we hope to build on this accomplishment and reach new heights next season."
Fans can access a live video stream of Saturday's individual competition by logging on to http://www.twuathletics.com/sports/2010/3/10/usag_0310103123.aspx?path=usag.
Junior Kiah Banfield (Newbury Park, Calif.) tied for fourth overall to guide RU in the floor exercise with a score of 9.775. Lewandowski and freshman Jenna Zito (Rockaway, N.J.) posted a 9.625 to tie for 17th in the event. Kristin Edwards of Texas Women's University, Lorraine Galow and Miranda Der of Bridgeport shared the floor exercise title with a 9.800.
Freshman Emma-Rose Trentacosti (Ridgefield Park, N.J.) scored a 9.700 on the balance beam to lead RU and tie for sixth overall in the event. Heinbaugh and Zito tied for ninth overall with a 9.650. Freshman Jayne Jeffreys (Jackson, N.J.) posted a 9.625 to tie for 13th. Brittany Johnson of Texas Women's University scored a 9.825 to win the beam title.
Lewandowski led the Scarlet Knights and tied for eighth overall on the vault with a score of 9.700. Sevarino and freshman Nicole Romano (Livingston, N.J.) each posted a score of 9.675 in the event to tie for 11th, while Banfield recorded a score of 9.625 to finish 15th. Marcella Fallon of Texas Women's University registered a score of 9.825 to win the event title.
Senior Prishani Seebadri (Wenonah, N.J.) scored a 9.575 to place 12th on the parallel bars. Cornell's Maddie Pearsall and Texas Women's University's Rashonda Cannie tied for the event title with a 9.800.
Zito represented RU in the all-around, placing fifth overall with a 37.450. Cannie from Texas Women's University took home the all-around title with a 38.975. RESULTS
