North Carolina State University Athletics
Gymnastics Wins EAGL Championship; Hancock Takes Beam Title
3/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Raleigh, N.C. - The NC State gymnastics team claimed the 2007 EAGL Championship with a team score of 195.475 Friday night at College Pack, Md. The Wolfpack won the conference title for the third time in league history, after having previously won back-to-back titles in 1999 and 2000. In addition to the Pack taking the team title, junior Leigha Hancock won an individual event title for the second year in a row, as she claimed top honors on the beam with a 9.9.
NC State started the meet on beam and came away with a team score of 48.500. Hancock won the event title tying her season-best with a score of 9.9. Hancock is the first gymnast in school history to win a second event title at the EAGL Championship, as last year she claimed top honors on the vault. She is also only the second gymnast to win the beam title at EAGL for the Pack (Jenny Sommer, 2000). Also on beam, classmate Heather Zolton scored a fifth place finish with her score of 9.775. Senior Amanda Jones had a 9.625, while junior Kelsey Lee and senior Katie Ozburn each had a 9.6 to round out the scoring.
After a bye, the Pack moved over to floor and posted a team score of 49.100, its fourth straight week over a 49.000. NC State had a total of four gymnasts capture a top-10 finish. Freshman Taylor Seaman led the way for the Pack, as she placed second with career-best 9.9. Hancock was close behind, as she took fourth with her score of 9.875. Sophomore Ashley Shepard finished in sixth place with a 9.825, while Lee secured ninth place with her 9.8. Senior Rachel Katz completed the Pack's scoring with a 9.7.
NC State would next compete on vault, and came away with a 48.775. After all teams completed three rotations, the Wolfpack was up over second place West Virginia 146.375-146.200. Katz came away with the Pack's top result on vault, with her score of 9.825 in sixth place. Hancock scored her third top-10 finish of the night, as she was 10th with a 9.775. Lee vaulted to a 9.75, while Shepard had a 9.725. Rounding out the scoring was both Seaman and Zolton with matching 9.7s.
The Wolfpack concluded its meet on bars, and tied its top team score of the day with a 49.100. That score also marked the Pack's top team score on bars this season. For the second event of the night, Seaman led the way for the Pack. The freshman scored a 9.875 and finished in third place, her second top-three finish of the night. The trio of Jones, Lee and Zolton all scored a 9.825 and tied for sixth place. Katz scored a 9.775 to round out the Pack's scoring.
The Pack had four competitors in the all-around. Hancock, competed in the all-around for the first time in her career, came away with a third place finish with a score of 39.100. Lee placed sixth with a 39.975, Zolton was seventh with a 38.775, and Seaman had a 38.625 for ninth.
For his efforts, head coach Mark Stevenson was named the EAGL Coach of the Year for the second straight season, and third time in his career.
Up next for the Pack will be a trip to the NCAA Regionals April 14 at West Virginia.
Vault: t-6) Rachel Katz, 9.825; t-10) Leigha Hancock, 9.775; t-13) Kelsey Lee, 9.75; t-19) Ashley Shepard, 9.725; t-24) Taylor Seaman, 9.7; t-24) Heather Zolton, 9.7.
Bars: t-3) Taylor Seaman, 9.85; t-6) Amanda Jones, 9.825; t-6) Kelsey Lee, 9.825; x-6) Heather Zolton, 9.825; t-15) Rachel Katz, 9.775; t-35) Leigha Hancock, 9.55.
Beam: 1) Leigha Hancock, 9.9; t-5) Heather Zolton, 9.775; t-25) Amanda Jones, 9.625; t-28) Kelsey Lee, 9.6; t-28) Katie Ozburn, 9.6; t-43) Taylor Seaman, 9.175.
Floor: t-2) Taylor Seaman, 9.9; t-4) Leigha Hancock, 9.875; t-6) Ashley Shepard, 9.825; t-9) Kelsey Lee, 9.8; t-27) Rachel Katz, 9.7; 41) Heather Zolton, 9.475.
All-Around: 3) Leigha Hancock, 39.100; 6) Kelsey Lee, 38.975; 7) Heather Zolton, 38.775; 9) Taylor Seaman, 38.625.
