University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Gymnastics Conference Awards Announced
3/24/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 24, 2006
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) conference honored several gymnasts in its annual awards banquet held on the eve of the league championships. The EAGL is comprised of eight teams including George Washington, Maryland, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Pitt, Rutgers and West Virginia.
Weekly award winners were first recognized, and Pitt had three conference awardees this season. Junior Jessica Garber (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Country Day School) and sophomore Amanda Rushton (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton Area) earned "Specialist of the Week" honors. Junior Andrea Arlotta (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest) was named "Gymnast of the Week" earlier this season.
The 2005 EAGL All-Academic team, announced last week, was also recognized and included nine Pitt gymnasts. Gymnasts must have earned a 3.0 GPA or higher to be named to the team. Junior Robyn Marszalek (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) leads the Panthers, having earned academic honors three times.
Finally, the First and Second All-EAGL teams were announced, and Pitt had four gymnasts win honors. Arlotta was named to the All-EAGL team on each event. She gained First Team honors on the uneven bars and floor exercise and Second Team honors on the vault and balance beam. Arlotta was also a unanimous vote for First Team All-EAGL in the all-around. Sophomore Samantha DeBone (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) was named to the Second Team on the uneven bars, and Marszalek earned Second Team honors on the floor exercise. Freshman Anya Chayka (Germantown, Md./Richard Montgomery) earned Second Team honors on the balance beam after a successful rookie campaign.
Pitt will compete on Saturday at 6 p.m,. in the EAGL Championships hosted by Rutgers. The team has already defeated two conference opponents this season and has four gymnasts in the league's Top 20 on their respective events.
