North Carolina State University Athletics
Gymnastics Set For 2003 Season
1/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Jan. 8, 2003
Raleigh, N.C. - After winning back-to-back EAGL Championships in 1999 and 2000, the Wolfpack had a down year in 2001. But all was shortly forgotten with last season's 22-9 overall record and a national ranking to end the year. The Pack placed four different gymnasts on the All-EAGL squads, and two of those gymnasts are returning this season.
NC State will be led by a strong senior class. The five seniors on this squad have all competed successfully over the years, and this season will be looked upon to provide NC State with quality scores. The Wolfpack also returns five juniors and sophomores who saw valuable action last season. In addition, Coach Stevenson has brought in two transfers and three freshmen to round out the squad.
"The expectation this year is the new kids that have come in will have to step up and replace those routines that we lost off last year's team because of graduation," said head coach Mark Stevenson who is entering his 23rd year at the helm of the program. "Our seniors will provide great leadership, and should be some of our strongest performers. I think with this team we have, we can accomplish the goals we have laid out for ourselves."
SENIORS
Senior Aimee Panton (Naugatuck, Conn.) rejoins the Wolfpack for a fifth season. Panton missed the entire 2001 season after suffering a broken arm in the preseason, and missed most of the 1999 season after recovering from knee surgery. Panton made a strong return to the NC State lineup last season, competing on vault, bars and floor in every meet. She was named to the All-EAGL first-team on bars, and competed as an individual on both vault and bars at the NCAA Regionals. Also last season, Panton recorded three first place finishes in three different events, with her top meet being NC State's Quad Meet where she won both vault and bars.
"Aimee will compete in the all-around for us this season," said Stevenson. "She has performed her three events for us very well over the last few years, and this year she will be added to beam. Aimee is going to do great job in every meet, and we are really pleased to have her back this season."
A strong worker on both beam and floor last season, Cara Dougherty (Louisville, Colo.) will be looking to close out her NC State career with a strong final year. Last season, Dougherty competed on beam in every meet and brought home a first place finish at Rhode Island scoring a personal-best 9.9. She also placed 15th at the EAGL Championships on beam with a 9.8.
"Cara has been doing really well in the preseason, and I'm really happy with her approach to this year," said Stevenson. "She is doing three events right now. There is a good chance she will be in the bars lineup this year, she has upgraded her routine and is looking strong. On beam, she is solid as a rock and is one of our best performers. On floor, she will be a starter once again, and she is the perfect leadoff for us in that event."
NC State got a huge boost to its lineup last season, when Marlyn Madey (Hockessin, Delaware) was able to compete throughout the season. Madey missed both of her first two seasons at NC State due to a foot injury, but recovered strong to compete on bars, beam and floor in every meet a year ago. Madey took first on bars in the Hearts Invite, and scored a personal-best 9.9 in the Wolfpack Invite. She also scored a season-high 9.85 on both beam and floor in two separate meets.
"Marlyn came back after three foot surgeries and really pulled herself together last year and did three events for us," said Stevenson. "This season she could easily also include vaulting, and be our second all-arounder. She is probably one of our top workers on bars, and has improved her dismount which is a positive for us. Her beam is beautiful and her floor is great."
Stephanie Southard (Indialantic, Fla.) has been a key performer for the Wolfpack on both vault and bars throughout her career. Last season, Southard competed on the two events in every meet. She posted a career-best 9.825 on bars twice, with a top finish of third in the Wolfpack's Quad Meet.
"Stephanie will be on vault and bars this season," said Stevenson. "Her bars are very well put together, and you can see she is very comfortable with her routine. She should be a very good senior for us on her two events, and she provides the depth that we need."
NC State's final senior this season is Adina Stock (Bedford, N.Y.). After being named to the All-EAGL second-team for vault as a sophomore, Stock expanded her role on the team to also compete on bars last season. She scored a high of 9.85 for fifth place in the Wolfpack Invite, and she was 15th at the EAGL Championships scoring a 9.8.
"Adina is doing very well in the gym right now," said Stevenson. "She will definitely be on vault and bars, and has the potential for floor. She was the back-up last season on floor, but has been working extremely hard on floor and really trying to improve her routine."
JUNIORS
Junior Alison Bundy (Concord, N.C.) was in the midst of a strong season last year, before suffering injuries to both of her ankles that eventually made her miss the final four meets of the season. Bundy was performing well on floor before the injuries, hitting for at least a 9.8 on floor in each meet with a season-high of 9.875 in her final meet of the season against Towson.
"Alison jammed her ankles and missed some time last year," said Stevenson. "She is working real hard in the gym right now to get back to form."
Molly Pennington (Dover, N.H.) saw action in every meet last season on vault. She placed 22nd at the EAGL Championships, and hit for a personal-best 9.775 and finished fourth at Kent State.
"Molly is going to be on vault once again this season," said Stevenson. "Her back is bad and that is why she has slowly gone away from the other events. We try to limit the amount that she does because of her back, but she is a great kid who does a good job on vault for us."
Also trying to comeback from previous injuries is Cheryl Potacco (Kinnelon, N.J.). Potacco missed her entire freshman season after she ruptured her ACL during warm-ups of the Pack's first meet of the season. Potacco worked hard all last season to get back to form, and saw action on bars in four exhibitions.
"Cheryl is coming back from her ACL strong, and is looking good," said Stevenson. "She will do vaulting for us, and has a real good chance at doing bars and beam as well. She is stepping up and doing the work asked of her.
Mary Freyvogel (Monroeville, Pa.) is a two-time member of the EAGL all-academic squad, and is working on the balance beam trying to work her way into the Pack's lineup.
SOPHOMORES
Cori Goldstein (Plainview, N.Y.) had an immediate impact for NC State as a freshman last season. Goldstein competed on beam and floor in every meet a year ago, and was named to the All-EAGL second-team on floor. She posted a score of at least 9.8 on floor in seven of the final eight meets, and scored a personal-best 9.925 in the Wolfpack Invite. On beam, Goldstein brought home a first-place finish at Rhode Island with a score of 9.9.
"Cori did a great job for us on both beam and floor last season," said Stevenson. "She has the potential for vault this season, her floor is one of the top routines for us, and her beam I think is better than it was last season."
Another freshman to see lots of action last season was Andrea Petrocelli (Pasadena, Md.). Petrocelli competed on both vault and beam, after missing the first two meets of the season. She tied for fourth on beam at the EAGL Championships with a score of 9.85. Overall, Petrocelli posted five top-five finishes in eight meets on beam, with a career-high of 9.875 at Rhode Island.
"Andrea did well on vault and beam last season," said Stevenson. "I see her on beam right now, and she is working really hard on bars to compete there as well."
Alexis Pero (Toms River, N.J.) missed her entire freshman season with a PCL tear suffered in the preseason. She was preparing to compete in the all-around as a freshman, after being a Level 10 National qualifier in high school.
"Alexis missed the season with a torn PCL, and got back probably in time to compete at the very end but we decided just to hold her out," said Stevenson. "She had a rough fall with injuries, but she will continue to get back into shape and try to work her way into the lineup."
Two additional sophomores are Krystal Hairston (Duluth, Ga.) and Jennifer Gray (Irwin, Pa.). Hairston is working on vault, and Gray is working on all the events. Both are trying to work there ways into the Pack's lineup.
NEWCOMERS
NC State will add two transfers to its roster this season. Leah Sabo (Hubbard, Ohio) comes to NC State from the University of Utah, and Kelley Kello (Virginia Beach, Va.) competed at Iowa last season.
"The two kids that we brought in have some very good experiences as previous universities, and they bring with them high quality skills," said Stevenson. "It's a bonus for us to have these two newcomers that have experience competing at the collegiate level. They are very sharp and have good dynamics with their gymnastics, and I think that is something that will help our team this season. I think we will have anywhere between six to eight routines from those two, and that will help replace the level of talent we lost from last year's squad."
Sabo competed at Utah in 1999 and 2000, when Utah finished second at the NCAA Championships in 1999 and fifth in 2000. Sabo competed on vault, bars and floor while at Utah. Kello competed on bars, beam and floor as a freshman at Iowa. She finished 10th on beam at the Big Ten Championships, and was also 10th on beam and 11th on bars at the NCAA Regionals.
"As long as we can keep Leah healthy, she has the potential to be an all-arounder for us," said Stevenson. "She has a beautiful dance on floor, and beam is looking extremely solid right now. Kelley is going to be great for us, and I see her doing everything except for vault right now. All three of her events should be 9.8 or higher for us."
Along with the two transfers, NC State will also welcome three freshmen to this year's team. Heading the list is Kylah Bachman (York, Pa.). Bachman placed eighth on floor and ninth in the all-around at the 2002 junior nationals. She was also the state champion on beam as a senior.
"We've got three good freshmen that will help us out this year," said Stevenson. "Kylah I think will do a tremendous job for us this season. She has really well polished skills, and she is not afraid to learn in the gym. She works hard everyday and that is the type of gymnast you want to teach. "
Joining Bachman in this year's freshmen class are Meaghan Flynn (Raleigh, N.C.) and Beth Faulkner (Charlotte, N.C.). Flynn attended local Leesville High School, and was a top performer on vault and floor for a team that was state champions in 2000 and 2001. Faulkner won beam at the state meet in 2002.
"Beth can help us a lot," said Stevenson. "She has the talent and good tumbling skills, she just needs to be more polished and that will come with experience. Meaghan looks very good on vaulting and will be able to help us out there this year, and we will keep working with her on floor where she has the potential to be strong for us there."
THE SCHEDULE Unlike a year ago when the Wolfpack opened with four straight meets on the road, NC State will have a chance to entertain the home crowd in Reynolds Coliseum early this season. The schedule breaks down with six home meets and five meets on the road.
The Wolfpack will host two meets in January, starting with Maryland and Ohio State on the 17th, and followed by Kent State and George Washington on the 24th. This year, NC State plays host to the Governor's Cup on February 8, a meet which combines the scores of NC State and North Carolina against Maryland and Towson. The Wolfpack will also host its annual Hearts Invitational on February 14 and the Wolfpack Invitational on February 28. NC State closes its home schedule with a meet against Pittsburgh and James Madison March 8.
The 2003 EAGL Championships will be held this year at New Hampshire (March 29), and the NCAA Regionals will be at Georgia (April 11).
"Our schedule this year is very good and challenging," said Stevenson. "We have some very good teams coming in here, and also we have some tough competition on the road. These meets should push us, and help us prepare for both the EAGL Championships and the NCAA Regionals."
