University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panthers Sign Three Recruits for 2010 Season
11/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Nov. 15, 2008
PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh's gymnastics coaching staff, headed by Debbie Yohman announce three early signees for the 2010 gymnastics season. The three gymnasts: Alyssa Adrian, Meaghan Biros, and Laura Rigney are expected to bring great strength and excitement to the team.
Adrian is from Cary, N.C., where she attends Green Hope High School. She is a fifth year level 10 competitor for Superior Gymnastics in Raleigh, N.C., and is coached by Krystal Kramer. In 2008 Adrian placed 11th on Vault and fifth on bars at Region VIII Level 10 Regionals, Sr. A division.
"Alyssa has a talent for making the difficult skills she performs look easy, especially on bars," said Kramer. "I am sure she will prove to be an immediate boost to the team because she is fun and serious at the same time and an encouraging team member who will be a wonderful asset to the Pitt program."
The Panther's assistant coaches Michael Rowe and Jessica Bartgis believe in Adrian's potential. "We believe she will help us immediately on the bars and beam. She has the strength, basics, and discipline to break into the lineups on vault and floor by the time she arrives at Pitt. She is very bubbly and will be fun to work with."
Another level 10 competitor joining the Panthers, Meaghan Biros, attends Mother McAuley High School in Chicago, Ill.. She is coached by Todd Gardner at the Illinois Gymnastics Institute.
"After 29 years of owning a gymnastics club, i have worked with hundreds of team girls, but very few can match the drive and work ethic that Meaghan has in her," added Gardner. "Meaghan's respect for coaches and teammates makes it a joy to have her in a gym full of young impressionable gymnasts."
Biros is a three time qualifier to Junior Nationals. In 2008 she placed 40th in the all-around and tied for 9th on the vault in the Senior A division. Biros also made the Region V All-Star Team this year. In 2006, competing in the Jr. B division at the level 10 Nationals, she tied for sixth in the all-around and placed fourth on the beam.
"I will miss her explosive gymnastics, every event has that "WOW" look to it," added Gardner.
"Meaghan is a powerful and dynamic gymnast. She has a very high skill level on all four events and has proven that she can excel on a National Level. She comes from a highly reputable Elite level program, and we are excited to have an athlete of Meaghan's caliber join our squad", says Bartgis.
The third gymnast to complete the recruiting class, Rigney, is from Greenwood, Ind. Rigney attends Greenwood High School and is a member of Wright's Gymnastics, where she is coached by Michelle Hart and Casey Wright.
"Laura is a strong gymnast and is going to be a great asset to the Pitt program," added Hart. "She is so excited about becoming a Panther and being with her new teammates!"
In 2008, Rigney placed fifth on both the vault and floor at Region V Regionals. She was a 2007 level 10 qualifier to Junior Nationals. She placed 10th on the beam, 13th on floor, and 22nd in the all-around in the Junior D divison.
"This is a strong all-arounder who will immediately impact our depth in all events. She has a great personality that will add to the team's chemistry and is a disciplined athlete with a work ethic second to none", says Mike Rowe.
Coach Yoman exclaims, "We are really looking forward to next fall when these future Panthers will join our team. They have great gymnastics, great strength and body lines, all are very coachable and will bring a lot of excitement to the program. We will surely see all three having stellar seasons at the regional and national level."
The Panthers will hold their annual Blue-Gold Intrasquad meet Friday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. in the Fitzgerald Field House.
