Panthers Qualify for Regional Championships
4/5/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
April 5, 2006
Regional Preview: Press Conference
PITTSBURGH - The Pitt Panthers (11-17, 3-13 EAGL) are heading to their second consecutive Northeast Regional Championship. Hosted by the University of Michigan, the Panthers will take on some of the nation's toughest competition with No. 2 Utah, No. 9 Michigan and No. 14 Auburn. Also competing in the regional competition will be EAGL conference opponents New Hampshire and Rutgers. Individual competitors from Yale, Rhode Island and Penn will be included as well. The competition is scheduled for 6 p.m. on April 8, in the Crisler Arena.
"This is the day in April that most collegiate gymnasts train for all year, but don't realize how fast it comes up," said Head Coach Debbie Yohman. "It is doubtful that Andrea [Arlotta] will be able to compete in the all-around, but that decision will be made at the last possible moment. However, it is important that everyone in our lineup realizes that each of their performances counts and contributes to our national ranking at the end of the year. Recruits are watching. Pitt and our administrators are watching. Our competitors are watching. If we are going to Regionals, we need to go to succeed."
On the vault, Pitt has two competitors ranked in the region's top 20. Junior Andrea Arlotta (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest) and freshman Victoria McGuigan-Carl (Reading, Pa./Exeter) are 13th and 16th respectively. Pitt also has two gymnasts in the top 20 on the uneven bars as well. Arlotta ranks 10th and recently finished eighth at the EAGL Championships. Sophomore Samantha DeBone (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) ranks 13th on this event, having a regional qualifying score (RQS) of 9.760. Both gymnasts were all-conference selections on the uneven bars. On the balance beam, Pitt has three gymnasts in the top 20. Arlotta leads in 15th with an RQS of 9.700. Freshman Anya Chayka (Germantown, Md./Richard Montgomery) has become one of the team's leading beam competitors in 16th with an RQS of 9.690, and DeBone ranks 19th with an RQS of 9.660. Pitt also has three gymnasts on the floor exercise as well. Arlotta is ranked 12th while junior Jessica Garber (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Country Day School) is 16th. Garber recently turned in one of her best floor performances of the season, scoring a 9.800 at the EAGL Championships. Junior Robyn Marszalek (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) is also ranked, coming in at 19th with an RQS of 9.725.