Panthers Set for EAGL Championships
3/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 19, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh gymnastics team travels to North Carolina State for the 2009 Eastern Region Gymnastics League championships this Saturday, March 21 at 3 p.m.
The Panthers (7-6, 2-4 EAGL) are currently sixth in the league and are looking to make a strong statement at the championships and improve on last season’s sixth-place finish. Leading the Panthers are senior Alix Croop and junior Dani Bryan. Croop received the EAGL Specialist of the Week honor for the second time this season during the week of March 16 and took the top spots on both floor and beam at the Panther’s last regular season meet, against Maryland.
Bryan returns to the EAGL championship meet after missing last season’s championships due to an injury. At her last EAGL championships, in 2007, Bryan took home the vault championship and is looking to repeat that success this weekend. Currently ranked third in the region and 28th nationally on vault, Bryan, along with freshman Alicia Talucci, leads the Pitt women with a season-high 9.900 in that event. Bryan also earned Specialist of the Week honors earlier this season.
Also key for Pitt is rookie Talucci, who is tied with nationally-ranked Bryan for the team’s season-high vault score as well as being ranked sixth in the region all-around. Along with leading the team in the season-best all-around category with a 39.250, Talucci has been received EAGL honors three times this season, winning Rookie of the Week twice and then Gymnast of the Week.
As a team, the Panthers hold several regional and league rankings as well as being nationally ranked on both the vault (27th) and beam (28th). Pitt is ranked third in the region in three events, with Regional Qualifying Scores of 48.915 on the vault, 48.615 on beam and 48.750 in the floor exercise. They are ranked fourth in the Northeast region on bars (RQS 48.440) and are also second in the EAGL on beam.
The national team rankings give the EAGL championships a lot of close competition, with Maryland ranked #35, New Hampshire ranked #37 and Pitt ranked #38.
Live streaming video of the meet will be available at http://www.nmathletics.com/newMediaPlayer/consolewmp.htm?type=live&oemid=9200&id=71696. Live stat updates can be found at http://www.gopack.com/fls/9200/live/gym/200090321.htm starting March 21 at 3 p.m.