Incoming Pitt Freshmen Shine at Nationals
5/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
May 26, 2010
PITTSBURGH - Three of Pitt Gymnastics' incoming freshmen had an outstanding showing at the 2010 Junior Olympic National Championships, held this month at the Dallas Convention Center.
Nicolle Galluzzo, Katie O'Rourke and Kati McDonald all had tremendous performances at the event and will join Maya Ketner at Pitt next season as the 2010 incoming class.
"We are very happy with the competitiveness of our incoming class," head coach Debbie Yohman said. "When you add Maya Ketner to the three who competed at JO Nationals, you have a group of experienced, aggressive athletes who worked very hard to reach their goals this year. They are solid all-arounders who love to compete and perform. With different strengths and few weaknesses they will complement each other nicely. I can see all four contributing immediately to our 2010-2011 squad."
Galluzzo, a four time JO National qualifier and level ten gymnast out of Gold Medal Gymnastics Center in Long Island, New York, finished fifth on floor and 11th in the all-around in a field of 57 in the Sr. D age division.
O'Rourke, a two time JO National qualifier, is also a level ten gymnast who competes out of the Capital Gymnastics National Training Center in Springfield, Va. O'Rourke finished fourth on beam and ninth in the all-around in the same division as Galluzzo.
MacDonald, a level ten gymnast who won the state title on the bars in 2009 and competes out of World Class Gymnastics Academy, finished 12th on vault with a 23rd place finish in the all-around in a field of 56 in the Sr. C age division.
Galluzzo, O'Rourke and MacDonald will join the Pitt squad in the fall and hope to build on the Panthers' solid 2010 season, which will see the return of 2009 and 2010 East Atlantic Gymnastics League gymnasts of the year in Alicia Talucci and Meaghan Biros.