Rutgers University
Towson/West Chester/Southern Connecticut State
Seniors Lead Gymnastics to Quad Meet Win
Mar 06 | Women's Gymnastics
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Lifted by performances from its five seniors, Rutgers gymnastics scored a 195.050 to win a Sunday quad meet at the Livingston Gym. The Scarlet Knights topped the 195-mark for the third time this season, beating Towson (192.775), Southern Connecticut State (190.725) and West Chester (188.475) to make it 11 victories in 2016.
"I thought this was our best performance of the year," head coach Louis Levine said. "We did a great job from start to finish. It is great to go out with a win, especially for the seniors. They did an excellent job, all five of them. Overall, this is a score that can help us reach NCAA Regionals."
Seniors Emma Hoffman (Union, N.J.), Claudia Salinas (Allendale, N.J.), Katie Stebick (Waterford, Pa.), Jenna Williams (Bordentown, N.J.) and Nicolette Wilson (Toms River, N.J.) all contributed across the four events in their final home meet as Scarlet Knights. The group was honored by the program in a ceremony following the fourth rotation.
RU ended the day with a season-high 49.200 on floor exercise, tied for the fourth-best score in the event in the school record books. Freshman Riahanah Ali (Ann Arbor, Mich.) led the charge with a career-high 9.900 to take first overall in the meet. She has reached at least a 9.800 in each of her last five outings. Following up, Hoffman put up a 9.850 in her last home routine, while Stebick wrapped up at 9.825. Junior Charly Santagado (Celebration, Fla.) also notched a 9.825 and sophomore Libby Groden (Abbottstown, Pa.) contributed a 9.800. Rounding out the rotation, freshman Michelle Amoresano (Whippany, N.J.) tallied a 9.700.
The Scarlet Knights started off on vault and had a 48.775 team score, including the top four results in the meet. Hoffman recorded a career-high 9.800, as Wilson matched the mark to make it seven performances of at least that number this season. Amoresano put up a 9.775 and Williams earned a 9.750 in her second vault attempt of the season.
Moving over to uneven bars, sophomore Makenzey Shank (Phoenix, Ariz.) paced the lineup with a 9.825. In addition, Hoffman swung to a 9.750 to make it two Scarlet Knights at the top of the event leaderboard. Overall, the team came in at 48.300.
Shank and Williams both led RU with 9.800 marks on balance beam (tied for second in the meet), while Salinas notched a 9.775 to help the team to a 48.775. Williams has reached at least 9.700 in all seven routines this season, while Salinas has earned a 9.775 or better the last five times. Sophomore Ayana Lee (Bridgewater, N.J.) reached a career-high 9.725 as well.
Groden was one of three all-arounders in the meet and combined for a 38.700. The meet was attended by 1,036, making it the seventh consecutive sellout at the Livingston Gym.
Rutgers will next finish out its regular season Big Ten schedule with a Big Five Meet at Penn State. The 3:30 p.m. meet, televised live by Big Ten Network, will also include Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding women's gymnastics, follow the program on Twitter (@RUGymnastics), Facebook (/RUGymnastics) and Instagram (@rutgersgymnastics).
Players Mentioned
