WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rutgers gymnastics concluded the 2024 regular season in grand fashion on Sunday at the George Washington quad meet, scoring a 196.825 for its second-highest score in program history in a high-scoring and closely-contested event. No. 22 Penn State eked out the win with a 196.875, while Rutgers finished ahead of GW (196.600) and Towson (196.575).
 
The full-team effort led to a massive list of records, milestones, and career-highs by meet's end in the nation's capital. The score marked the school record for a road meet, while the team's 49.300 on bars comes in second all-time at RU and the 49.225 is third all-time in team history.
 
The vault squad was once again led by Emily Leese, who tied her own school record with her second career 9.925 performing the Yurchenko 1.5. She bested 23 other vaulters for her 11th event title this season.
 
Over on bars, Avery Balser tied her career-high with a massive 9.950 – the second-best score in school history – to win the event at the quad meet.
 
Overall, Rutgers produced six scores of 9.9 or higher around the gym, with at least one on each apparatus. Two days after scoring her first two 9.9's, Gabrielle Dildy added another on vault on Sunday. Sophomore Valentina Lorente-Garcia notched her first collegiate 9.9 on bars. Jacqueline Manifold recorded her first 9.9 of the season on beam, and Leese added a 9.9 on floor.
 
RU's second-highest bars score in its history was anchored by Balser's 9.950 and supported by Myra Daniels (9.800), career highs from freshman Matis Rains (9.800) and Manifold (9.850), and Lorente-Garcia's first 9.9.
 
The high vault score was bolstered by freshman Elliot Goldsmith's career-high 9.800, a solid 9.850 by Elia Aird, Dildy's 9.9, Leese's record-tying 9.925, and contributions from Jaidyn Raby and Lorente-Garcia (9.750).
 
Dildy's 9.9 vault tied for second at the quad meet, while Manifold's 9.9 on beam took second outright.
 
Top Performers
Vault: Emily Leese (9.925) – 1st of 24
Bars: Avery Balser (9.950) – 1st of 24
Beam: Jacqueline Manifold (9.900) – 2nd of 24
Floor: Emily Leese (9.900) – T-4th of 24
 
Up Next
The Scarlet Knights enter the 2024 Big Ten Championships on Sat. March 23 at Michigan State.


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