Three Set for NCAA Regionals
Apr 02 | Women's Gymnastics
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Freshman Elizabeth Groden (Abbottstown, Pa.), senior Luisa Leal (Cali, Colombia) and junior Jenna Williams (Bordentown, N.J.) will represent Rutgers gymnastics at NCAA Regionals, competing in the Morgantown Regional hosted by West Virginia University on April 4 at 4 p.m.
Leal (vault) and Williams (uneven bars) will participate in one event at Regionals, while Groden will compete all-around. Click here for the rotations.
MORGANTOWN REGIONAL CENTRAL | LIVE RESULTS | RUTGERS STATS The top competitor in each individual event of the regional will receive an automatic selection to the 2015 NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas, with the top two individual finishers in all-around competition who are not a part of an advancing team also securing an automatic spot.
Groden enjoyed a successful rookie season "On the Banks," qualifying for the NCAA Regionals with an all-around regional qualifying score (RQS) of 38.310. After competing mostly on balance beam and vault to start the season, Groden finished the year with seven straight all-around performances. She totaled a season-best mark of 38.900 Feb. 20 and recorded a high on vault at 9.825, uneven bars at 9.800, balance beam at 9.800 and floor exercise at 9.875.
Leal will make her fourth career NCAA Regional appearance for the Scarlet Knights. Leal ended the season with a 9.845 RQS on vault this season, producing a high of 9.990 on Feb. 27. She totaled at least a 9.850 five times this year and helped RU secure its second-highest vault team total (49.150) in program history at the Big Ten Championships March 21 in Ann Arbor, Mich. The veteran holds the school record on vault with a 9.925, producing a 9.800 last year in the event at Regionals.
This will be Williams' third appearance in as many seasons at Regionals after accumulating a 9.800 RQS on uneven bars in 12 meets. The regional qualifying score is tied for 64th nationally in the event. She achieved a high of 9.875 twice this year and holds a career-best mark of 9.900.
Head coach Louis Levine Q&A
On having three gymnasts represent Rutgers at Regionals: "It's a good thing for the girls. It's payoff for all of the hard work they put in all year. The three girls going were very consistent on the events they competed in. It's always better to go with the whole team, but obviously it's an honor to have three of ours make it there."
On senior Luisa Leal continuing her career: "I think with Luisa, she's done a lot throughout her career. She holds several records, with vault being one of them. So for her to be able to vault at Regionals is a nice accomplishment and a positive way to go out for her."
On Jenna Williams: "This is her third year. All three years she has been here, she's made Regionals. She has done it twice as an individual and once last season with the team. The two times she went as an individual have been on bars and to be the individual who qualifies on bars, it's quite an accomplishment. It kind of goes to show how good and consistent she has been on bars throughout her career."
On having a freshman Elizabeth Groden compete at Regionals: "It shows whether you're a freshman or senior, you have an opportunity to make a big impression on the whole team by leading by example. She was our all-arounder for a big portion of the season for us, and that paid off for her as an individual at Regionals. It's an opportunity for her and Jenna to get more experience at that NCAA level and bring that back to the team to help us grow."
On how competing in the Big Ten will help them at Regionals: "I'm not sure if the gymnastics gets any better. At Regionals, you have a couple of top teams, and then you get some more teams who are all at the same competitive level. I just look at it as another meet. I don't know if there's anything out there that's so amazing that it throws you off or presents a struggle. I think they're all prepared and ready to go and we'll go out there and do our best."
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Players Mentioned
