North Carolina State University Athletics
Gymnastics Heads to NCAA Regionals
4/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
NC State Looks For Bid to NCAA Championships
For the 15th time in the past 16 years, the NC State gymnastics team will compete at the NCAA Regional Championships. The 22nd-ranked Wolfpack travels to Morgantown, W.Va., to take part in the 2007 NCAA Southeast Regionals on Saturday, April 14, at 6:00 p.m. NC State, seeded fourth, will face No. 5 and top-seeded LSU, No. 8 and second-seeded UCLA, as well as No. 17 and third-seeded Auburn. Other teams competing at West Virginia will be EAGL conference foes, No. 5 seed West Virginia and No. 6 seed North Carolina.
NC State will be making its fourth trip to Morgantown for the NCAA Regionals. The Pack has finished third each of the past two trips, most recently scoring a 194.900 in 1999. The 2002 and 1986 Regionals were also held at WVU, but NC State only qualified individuals.
Live results will be available at http://www.msnsportsnet.com/gymstats.htm.
Recent NCAA Regional Championships
Last season, NC State placed fifth at Georgia with a team score of 193.925. Leigha Hancock became the first gymnast in school history to win an event title at Regionals, as she tied for first on floor with a 9.9. In 2005, the Pack took part at the NCAA Regionals at Florida, and posted a team score of 193.575 and placed sixth. Kylah Bachman had a strong showing, as she was fourth with a 9.85 on beam and scored a 39.050 in the all-around for sixth place.
The 2004 season marked a first for NC State, the first time NC State hosted the NCAA Regional Championships. The Pack faced a tough task that day as three teams were ranked 12th or higher nationally, including No. 1 UCLA. NC State came away with a team score of 194.375 and finished in sixth place.
NC State traveled to Athens, Ga., to take part in the 2003 NCAA Regionals. The Wolfpack finished sixth with a team score of 193.575. NC State did not qualify for the NCAA Regionals in 2002, the first time since 1991. In 2001, NC State went to Florida and finished sixth that day with a team score of 193.500.
In 2000, NC State received the No. 3 seed, after finishing the regular season ranked No. 13 in the country, and traveled to Athens, Ga. NC State finished fifth with a team score of 193.475. That meet ended the Pack’s most successful year in school history.
The Pack rallied from sixth place after two rotations to finish third in 1999 at WVU, but fell just three-tenths short of earning a second consecutive bid to the NCAA Championships. Amy Langendorf qualified for the NCAA Championships after placing second in the all-around.
With a score of 195.125 for third place, the 1998 team earned its first ever invitation to the NCAA Championships. The Pack would go on to finish 11th.
Wolfpack in the Rankings
NC State is ranked No. 22 in the www.troester.com/gym poll this week, with a RQS of 195.160. The Pack is one of only two teams in the EAGL ranked in the top-25 this week. NC State is currently ranked No. 14 nationally on floor with a RQS of 49.125. The Pack is also ranked 25th on vault (48.905), 27th on bars (48.750), and 30th on beam (48.590). NC State leads the EAGL on floor, is second on vault, bars and beam.
NC State Wins EAGL Championship
The NC State gymnastics team claimed the 2007 EAGL Championship with a team score of 195.475 March 30 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. The Pack used its highest team score of the season on bars, a 49.100, in the final rotation to hold onto a lead it had throughout. NC State has now finished in the top-three at the conference meet a league record nine times in 12 tries overall.
Junior Leigha Hancock became the first NC State gymnast to earn a second EAGL event title, as she scored a 9.9 on beam for the win after winning vault last season. Hancock also finished third in the all-around (39.100). Freshman Taylor Seaman scored a pair of top-three finishes, as she was second on floor with a 9.9 and third on bars with a 9.85. Rachel Katz led the Pack on vault with her 9.825 for sixth.
Hancock Wins Beam at EAGL Championships
Junior Leigha Hancock won an individual event title for the second year in a row at the EAGL Championship, as she claimed top honors on the beam with a season-best 9.9. Hancock is the first gymnast in school history to win a second event title at the EAGL Championship, and also is only the second gymnast to win the beam title at EAGL for the Pack (Jenny Sommer, 2000). Hancock has now won beam in three of the last four meets.
Stevenson Named EAGL Coach of the Year Second Straight Year
For the second year in a row, NC State head coach Mark Stevenson was named the EAGL Coach of the Year following the Pack’s first place finish at this years EAGL Championship. It marked his third time in the 12-year history of the league being honored, his first was in 1998. He has also been named NCAA Regional Coach of the Year three times.
Stevenson is the only coach in the 27-year history of NC State gymnastics. He has posted a career-record of 399-224-1, and his team has advanced to the NCAA Regionals 15 of the last 16 years, including to the NCAA Championships in 1998. NC State has won three EAGL Championships, in 2007, 2000 and 1999.
Six Wolfpack Gymnasts Make All-EAGL Squads
Six members of the NC State gymnastics team were honored on the All-EAGL first and second teams announced at the conference’s annual banquet. The Wolfpack was recognized on one of the first-teams a total of six times, and had an individual on one of the various second-teams a total of two times.
Junior Leigha Hancock led the way for the Pack earning distinctions on three events for the second year in a row. Hancock earned All-EAGL first-team honors on both vault and beam, and was second-team on floor. She has now been honored a total of seven times by the EAGL in her first three seasons at NC State.
Senior Amanda Jones was named to the All-EAGL first-team for bars. Jones also earned the same honor for the 2005 season. Junior Heather Zolton earned All-EAGL first-team honors for the all-around, after earning second-team honors a year ago. Sophomore Ashley Shepard was honored for her work on floor for the second straight. Shepard earned All-EAGL first-team honors for floor this season, after being on the second-team for floor as a freshman last year.
A pair of freshmen also received EAGL honors. Taylor Seaman was named to the All-EAGL first-team for the all-around, while classmate Lauren Deuser was named All-EAGL second-team for the balance beam. NC State has now had at least one freshman on either the first or second-teams each of the past six years. Seaman and Zolton combined to give the Pack two members honored for the all-around for the second straight year.
Hancock Named Specialist of the Week Four Times
Junior Leigha Hancock led the way in the EAGL this season, having won EAGL Specialist of the Week honors a league-high four times. Only one other gymnast was honored more than once this season. Hancock is no stranger to the award, as she won the same honor four times last season as well.
• January 23 - Hancock’s first time honored was after the Pack’s home opener. She had NC State’s top showing on vault, tying her personal-best with a 9.90 for second place. She also turned in a 9.80 on beam and a 9.70 on the floor exercise.
• February 20 - She was honored for the second time after the Hearts Invite. She set a then season-high on the floor, 9.9, while notching a second-place finish. She also tied for third on the vault, scoring a 9.875, and was 10th on beam with a 9.725.
• February 27 - Hancock recorded NC State’s top score in all three of her events at the Master’s Classic for her third honor, and second straight. She received a 9.80 on both vault and balance beam and a 9.875 on floor. She placed second on floor, third on beam and eight on vault.
• March 13 - Hancock’s final honor was after the second Quad Meet. She had a season-high 9.90 score on beam for first place. She also scored a 9.875 on vault and a 9.775 on the floor.
Seaman Named Rookie of the Week Four Times
Freshman Taylor Seaman also earned an EAGL-best this season, winning EAGL Rookie of the Week honors a total of four times, including three weeks straight at the end of the season. The Pack has been quite familiar with Rookie of the Week honors, as back in 2005, three different NC State gymnasts won the award a total of six times.
• January 23 - Seaman’s first honor came after the Pack’s opening home meet. She was NC State’s top finisher on bars, scoring 9.825 for third place. She notched the Wolfpack’s second-best scores on both vault (9.875) and floor (9.85) and placed sixth in the all-around with a 38.800.
• March 6 - Seaman earned her second award after competing on three events at No. 1 Florida. She scored a 9.75 on vault, a 9.6 on uneven bars, and was sixth on floor with a 9.8.
• March 13 - Seaman was named for the second straight week after the Pack’s second Quad Meet. She set a new career-high of 39.275 in the all-around. This is the highest all-around score among all of the Wolfpack team this season. She also placed second on beam (9.825) and fourth on bars (9.8).
• March 20 - Her final time honored during the season came after the Pack's final home meet, and was her third straight week honored. Against Pittsburgh, she took second in the all-around with a 39.175 total. She also tied for second on floor with a 9.85, and was third on both vault (9.825) and beam (9.8).
Hancock Leads the Way for the Pack
Junior Leigha Hancock cleaned up the awards this year from the EAGL, being named first-team on both vault and beam as well as second-team on floor, then she won the beam title at the EAGL Championship.
Hancock has competed on vault, beam and floor once again this season, and saw action in the all-around for the first time at the EAGL Championship. She is currently ranked first in the EAGL on floor, second on beam, and fourth on vault. In addition, she has been named the EAGL Specialist of the Week a league-best four times. She leads the Pack with seven event titles on the season, at least two in three different events, and has finished outside the top-10 only four times out of 39 routines.
Over the last few meets, Hancock has been even more impressive. She has won floor two of the last three meets, not scoring below a 9.875. On beam she has three wins in the last four meets, and has not scored below a 9.8 or finished outside the top-three in the last six. On vault, she won with a career-best 9.9 in the Pack's final home meet, and has been 9.8 or above in eight of the last 10 meets. She added a new wrinkle at EAGL, competing for the first time on bars (9.55) and in the all-around (39.100). Her all-around score was good for third.
Pair of Seniors Finishing Their Careers Strong
NC State has a total of seven seniors this season, a pair of which have been competing since their freshmen seasons. Rachel Katz has been one of the Pack's top vaulters all four years, and this year has been strong on floor and beam as well. Amanda Jones has competed in all four events during her career, and even in the all-around. This season, Jones has been in the beam and bars lineup each time out and was named All-EAGL first-team for bars.
Katz currently ranks fourth on vault and 12th on floor in the EAGL. She brought home a first place finish on vault with a 9.875 at Michigan State, the 13th vault title of her career. Katz had a season-best 9.875 on floor in two of the last four meets, and earned the floor title with that score in the second Quad Meet.
Jones has won three titles on bars this year. She tied her career-best with a 9.85 for her first title at Rutgers. She has a total of five 9.825 scores on bars including one at the EAGL Championship, and has only scored below a 9.725 on bars once this season. On beam, Jones has been in the top-10 in four of the last five meets, and posted a season-best 9.8 in the Pack's second Quad Meet.
The Freshmen Impact
NC State has always had much success in its freshmen performers, and this year is no different as a pair of Wolfpack rookies have been in the lineup since the opening meet. Both were rewarded by the EAGL for their efforts, as Taylor Seaman was an All-EAGL first-team selection for the all-around, and classmate Lauren Deuser was a second-team choice for beam. NC State has now had at least one freshman honored by the EAGL on either the first or second-teams each of the past six years.
Seaman has been one of the top rookies in the EAGL, capturing EAGL Rookie of the Week honors a league-best four times. Seaman was in the all-around line-up from seasons start, and if it wasn't for a mid-season ankle injury she would have competed all year in the all-around.
Seaman currently ranks eighth in the EAGL on floor, eighth in the all-around, and ninth on bars. Seaman brought home two top-three finishes at the EAGL Championship, a 9.9 for second on floor and a 9.85 for third on bars, both were career-bests. She has won the all-around twice this season, and scored a career-best 39.275. She also has one vault title, winning at Penn State. Recently, Seaman has scored at least a 9.7 in 14 of her 16 routines over the last four meets, including topping 9.8 a total of 11 times in that span.
Deuser came to NC State as somewhat of a hidden gem, as the Pack coaches were not sure what they would be getting till they had some time with her in the gym. But Deuser has been a major surprise for the Pack, as she has been in the bar and beam line-up all season. She missed her first action of the season, when she was sick during the EAGL Championship and did not compete.
Deuser had her top meet of the season at Rutgers earlier this season. She won the beam with a career-best 9.875, and also had a top season score of 9.775 on bars. She also matched that 9.775 on bars against Pittsburgh.
Pack Gymnasts Contributing to All-Around Success
This season NC State has a total of three gymnasts competing in the all-around, but that total could go up to four as junior Leigha Hancock is expected to compete in the all-around at the NCAA Regionals after scoring a 39.100 in her first attempt of her career at the EAGL Championship. With the possible addition of Hancock, juniors Kelsey Lee and Heather Zolton and freshman Taylor Seaman will also be in the all-around at the NCAA Regionals giving the Pack a total of four gymnasts.
Seaman has led the way by competing in the all-around a total of 10 times this season, while Zolton has done it in the last nine, and Lee in the last eight. Those three gymnasts have topped 39.000 a total of six times and have claimed the all-around title in three meets. Seaman currently boasts the teams top score, with a 39.275, and Zolton has scored over 39.000 in three of the last four meets.
Shepard Not in Sophomore Slump
Sophomore Ashley Shepard had a huge impact for the Wolfpack last season, as she was in the floor line-up each meet, and was rewarded for her efforts by being named to the All-EAGL second-team. This season, Shepard remains one of the top scorers on floor as she was an All-EAGL first-team selection, and has added a very solid vault routine to the Pack's line-up.
Shepard currently ranks fourth in the EAGL on floor with an RQS of 9.850. She won floor with a 9.85 at Rutgers, and has scored a 9.8 or better in seven meets. She was sixth at the EAGL Championship with a 9.825. On vault, she scored a season-best 9.825 at Florida for fourth place.
Pack Places 12 on All-Academic Team
The NC State gymnastics team placed 12 members on the 2007 EAGL All-Academic Team. The Wolfpack had 10 athletes reappearing on the All-Academic list, while two members were honored for the first time. Of the league-record 96 gymnasts, 17 were honored for the fourth time in their careers, including five members from NC State. Crisann Calvo, Amanda Jones, Rachel Katz, Brooke Outland, and Suzanne Price of North Carolina State were all named to the EAGL All-Academic Team for the fourth time straight year. Here are the Pack’s members honored: Elyse Adams (Biological Sciences), Crisann Calvo (Psychology), Lauren Deuser (Textiles), Amanda Jones (Accounting), Rachel Katz (Nutrition), Jamie Mula (Psychology), Brooke Outland (Political Science), Mackenzie Payne (Biological Sciences), Suzanne Price (Mechanical Engineering), Ashley Shepard (Microbiology), Lauren Singer (Communications), Luci Vance (Textiles).
