Panther Gymnasts Prepare for 2006 Season
11/29/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Nov. 29, 2005
PITTSBURGH - There is strength in numbers as the Panthers enter the 2006 season. With 21 competitors on the roster and four All-EAGL gymnasts returning, the Panthers have plenty of depth for their upcoming season. A new training facility has brought a wealth of talent to the program, and the 2006 new recruits should be solid contributors in the upcoming season. Head Coach Debbie Yohman attributes the gains made by the program to both the new facility and to a university with an outstanding academic reputation. "Now that we have a facility that is competitive with anybody's in the country, we have kids that are very talented gymnasts, and who train at a very high level, beginning to look at us" explained Yohman. "They see a facility where they will be able to come and thrive. "The second ingredient, which has always been a recruiting plus, is that we are known as a very strong academic institution. That is Pitt's national reputation. So now we're getting smart, and highly talented, gymnasts." The addition of eight new faces to the Panther line up and a number of veterans assuming early roles as leaders has allowed the Panthers to strengthen their routines and increase their difficulty. Yohman said the team's focus this season will be on successfully competing in every meet. "What we've got to do, that we didn't do last year, is go out and make this group of kids, including eight new freshman, understand that every meet is important," said Yohman. "You cannot wait until the end of the year to get there!" Already focused on making a difference in 2006, co-captains Andrea Arlotta and April Pearson are ready to lead their team into what should be a very exciting gymnastics season.
VAULT
In the 2005 season, the Panthers struggled somewhat on the vault due to injuries and shifting line ups, but after solid recruiting, Yohman expects improvements in the upcoming season.
"We have some upperclassmen back in the line up and some added vaults from our freshmen that should really help us" she said. "Our goal, besides having depth to the line up this year is to have all 10.0 vaults. That's what the coaches are pushing for and the team is pushing for."
A number of team all-arounders will be contributing to the vault line up including Arlotta and Brittany Baldwin, both All-EAGL Second Team honorees last season. Arlotta set a career-high 9.875 on the event in 2005 against Ohio State, and Baldwin recorded a career-high 9.7 on the event twice last season. Panther fans can expect to see contributions from specialists Amanda Rushton and Jessica Garber as well.
UNEVEN PARALLEL BARS
The Panthers enter their 2006 season with a solid bar line after the loss of only one senior. The strength to of the line up will be Arlotta and Samantha DeBone. Arlotta was named All-EAGL First Team in 2005, and DeBone was named Second Team.
Yohman also expects strong contributions from veterans Robyn Marszalek and Lindsay Swan. Marszalek posts a career-high 9.8 on the event, and Swan brings plenty of experience to the Panthers, having competed in every regular season and post-season meet for three consecutive years.
"We were a little worried about the bar line up [last year]," said Yohman. "I think with the people we have back and the people we've added to the roster, we have plenty of competitors on bars. We've just got to put it all together."
BALANCE BEAM
In 2006 the Panthers will be without team leader and NCAA qualifier Leila Tait, but there are a number of gymnasts looking to step into the top spot.
DeBone leads the team in scoring, averaging a 9.590 on the event. Fellow sophomore Cassie Minick should contribute as a specialist on the event, as well as all-arounder Kaitlin Harrison.
"With more gymnasts training on beam than any other event, the pressure to hit & make the competitive line-up will help our squad mature very early. "We've also got some different difficulty this year which I know the judges and fans will like seeing," explained Yohman. "So it should be an exciting event for us."
FLOOR EXERCISE
Floor historically tends to be the Panthers' strongest event. With the entire line up returning for the 2006 season, it will again be a solid event for the team.
"Our kids have to train very hard to be a floor competitor for Pitt" said Yohman. "The expectations have become even higher in the past couple of years. We've got a lot of possibilties for the line up and maybe some posibilities we'll be able to use later in the season."
Arlotta is the likely leader for the Panthers on this event, though a few of the freshmen will earn spots as the season progresses.
Also contributing to the event should be Garber as a specialist, sophomore Nicole Drane who recorded a career-high 9.775 three times in 2005, junior Jennifer Jones with a career-high 9.725.
ALL-AROUND
The Panthers have a number of solid all-around competitors for the upcoming season. Both Arlotta and DeBone were named EAGL Gymnasts of the Week in 2005. Arlotta averaged a 38.448 in the all-around last season after setting a team-high 39.250. DeBone also hit the 39.0 mark against West Virginia.
Marszalek was a consistent contributor in the all-around, setting a career high 38.275 last season. Additionally, Harrison had a successful freshman campaign recording a career-high 38.275 in the all-around. Baldwin and Drane are also training all four events again.
NEWCOMERS
The Panthers will be introducing eight new freshmen into their lineup in the 2006 season. They are Pamela Bender, Anya Chayka, Alix Croop, Melissa Gibson, Sabrina Jennings, Andrea Konesky, Nicole Kujawski and Victoria McGuigan-Carl.
Bender joins the team from Clifton, Va. where she was named to the 2006 team for the Maccabiah Games. With potential on each event, she will train as an all-arounder in 2006.
Chayka was a national qualifier at both Levels 9 and 10. Born in Russia, Chayka attended high school in Germantown, Md. where she trained at Hill's Gymanstics. She is a beautiful dancer and an all-arounder whose strongest event is Beam.
Croop, a 2003 regional champion, is a known powerhouse on all four events but particularly on the floor exercise. However, bars may be her signature event this year as she returns from a knee injury during her senior year. She trained since age 5 at Parkettes in Allentown, Pa.
Gibson, a Pittsburgh-native, will be a specialist on the floor exercise in 2006. A Level 9 qualifier for nationals, Gibson trained at Gymkhana Gymnastics.
Jennings joins the Panthers from Elmont N.Y. where she received All-Conference, All-County, All-State and All-America honors throughout her high school career. Jennings trained all-around at Hotshots Gymnastics.
Konesky is another Pittsburgh-native, training under former Panther gymnasts Ben Rovee and Kristin Bonaci. Konesky won the Level 9 State Championships and was a two-time National Championship qualifier.
Kujawski will train for the Panthers as another potential all-arounder this season. From Ephrata, Pa., she competed for Prestige Gymnastics.
McGuigan-Carl joins the Panthers after a successful senior year, placing first or second in the all-around at every regular season meet last year. She trained at Berk's Gymnastics Academy, joins the team from Reading, Pa and brings very strong vaulting and tumbling to the line up.
Players Mentioned
