Offutt, Pearson Take Pitt Education to the Next Level
12/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
PITTSBURGH - Years of training from a young age, a journey filled with joy and flips, aches and tears, all culminated in one final team meet for Lindsay Offutt and Nicole Pearson. The Eastern Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Championship meet, being played out in the Panthers own home, the Fitzgerald Field House on March 19, 2016.
The Panthers prevailed, topping five other schools in what was an upset to the home crowd's delight. They scored season-highs on vault and beam and a season-high 195.675 to win their first EAGL title in program history. A conclusion to their gymnastics career couldn't have been scripted any better.
For Offutt, a native of White Lake, Mich., the book on her gymnastics career was closed after competing in NCAA Nationals on floor. Earlier in the year, she posted a 39.575 in the all-around versus Towson and Penn on Feb. 12. The score shattered Pitt's 17-year-old all-around record (39.400). It wasn't an anomaly either, as over the course of her glorious senior campaign she secured 24 first-place finishes in 2016, along with the title on beam and in the all-around in the EAGL championship.
Offutt was named the EAGL Senior Gymnast of the Year, as well as the Northeast Regional Gymnast of the Year.
"My greatest memory competing as a Pitt gymnast was winning the EAGL championship," said Offutt.
Pearson, who hails from Hatboro, Pa., competed in the EAGL championships as a sophomore and scored a 9.700 on vault at NCAA Regionals her freshman season. However, Pearson was hampered by injuries and didn't compete her junior or senior years.
"Having injuries throughout the end of my career was difficult to overcome," said Pearson. "Although I wasn't competing, winning the EAGL championship was an amazing accomplishment for this team and something I had dreamed of since my freshman year."
Walking away from a sport that has been a presence for the duration of your life is never easy, but Pitt's EAGL championship win, along with individual accolades collected could help lighten the blow of the transition following competing.
It's a little bit easier to look back on your career when you have a ring to look down at.
"Winning the championship was everything I could have asked for in finishing my career at Pitt," Offutt reminisced. "Naturally, I was overcome with emotion when it finally came together at the end of my senior year, in front of our home crowd, alongside my incredible teammates and coaches. We finally earned what we worked to deserve and we are now able to relish in that joy."
Some might take a hiatus from the sport, vaulting onward with their lives and post-graduate careers. Others might kick the tires at coaching in a way to stay connected to the sport. Offutt and Pearson, however, opted to continue their education, enrolling in post-graduate programs.
Offutt is in law school in an effort to obtain a J.D. at Pitt Law. Meanwhile Pearson is completing an accelerated nursing program at Gwynedd Mercy University.
Despite the heavy course load and amplified responsibilities, the two University of Pittsburgh Spring 2016 graduates knew they wanted to give back to the program that meant so much to them in their time as an undergrad student at Pitt, and to stay involved in a sport that they have given so much too, and a sport that has always give something back to them, whether a score worth celebrating or a pain worth grimacing over.
Offutt is volunteering as a meet director this season, helping the Pitt staff keep meets running smoothly.
"It's so nice to have former athletes out on the floor during meets - they kind of act like a traffic cop, directing all of the working parts of a competition," said head coach Debbie Yohman. "They know how meets should run and they know who to go to if something unusual comes up."
Yohman, continues to build a family atmosphere around the team as she continues to leave her legacy on the program. This upcoming year marks her 31st season at the helm of Pitt gymnastics.
Offutt isn't the only former gymnast who is still around the program. Two components from last year's EAGL championship team, Meagan Higdon and Julia Schindel have taken roles with the team filling positions of student assistant coach and team manager, respectively.
"I think the family aspect stays with our girls after graduation," added Yohman. "When they start school they have an automatic family grouping, and for four years they grow closer. Even with different interests and personalities, the gymnastics experience really bonds them. They graduate and there's a big hole in their day that they've never had before, but they stay in touch with their sisters forever."
While they will look to replace Offutt's heroics by committee, the talent on this team doesn't evade either former Panther.
"Considering the potential this team has, especially coming off a huge EAGL championship win; I believe this team will have a great season and continue to grow through the years," added Pearson.
Offutt's assessment of the 2017 Panthers was that they can reach the next level in their progression as a program.
"I believe the 2017 team is capable of capturing another EAGL win and moving onto NCAA Regionals. They have the talent and coaching staff to do it."
The Panthers will begin their season when they host Ohio State on Jan. 7 at the Fitzgerald Field House. The meet is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. and should be a solid test for Pitt as the Buckeyes were a participant in the Minneapolis NCAA Regional in 2016.
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The Panthers prevailed, topping five other schools in what was an upset to the home crowd's delight. They scored season-highs on vault and beam and a season-high 195.675 to win their first EAGL title in program history. A conclusion to their gymnastics career couldn't have been scripted any better.
For Offutt, a native of White Lake, Mich., the book on her gymnastics career was closed after competing in NCAA Nationals on floor. Earlier in the year, she posted a 39.575 in the all-around versus Towson and Penn on Feb. 12. The score shattered Pitt's 17-year-old all-around record (39.400). It wasn't an anomaly either, as over the course of her glorious senior campaign she secured 24 first-place finishes in 2016, along with the title on beam and in the all-around in the EAGL championship.
Offutt was named the EAGL Senior Gymnast of the Year, as well as the Northeast Regional Gymnast of the Year.
"My greatest memory competing as a Pitt gymnast was winning the EAGL championship," said Offutt.
Pearson, who hails from Hatboro, Pa., competed in the EAGL championships as a sophomore and scored a 9.700 on vault at NCAA Regionals her freshman season. However, Pearson was hampered by injuries and didn't compete her junior or senior years.
"Having injuries throughout the end of my career was difficult to overcome," said Pearson. "Although I wasn't competing, winning the EAGL championship was an amazing accomplishment for this team and something I had dreamed of since my freshman year."
Walking away from a sport that has been a presence for the duration of your life is never easy, but Pitt's EAGL championship win, along with individual accolades collected could help lighten the blow of the transition following competing.
It's a little bit easier to look back on your career when you have a ring to look down at.
"Winning the championship was everything I could have asked for in finishing my career at Pitt," Offutt reminisced. "Naturally, I was overcome with emotion when it finally came together at the end of my senior year, in front of our home crowd, alongside my incredible teammates and coaches. We finally earned what we worked to deserve and we are now able to relish in that joy."
Some might take a hiatus from the sport, vaulting onward with their lives and post-graduate careers. Others might kick the tires at coaching in a way to stay connected to the sport. Offutt and Pearson, however, opted to continue their education, enrolling in post-graduate programs.
Offutt is in law school in an effort to obtain a J.D. at Pitt Law. Meanwhile Pearson is completing an accelerated nursing program at Gwynedd Mercy University.
Despite the heavy course load and amplified responsibilities, the two University of Pittsburgh Spring 2016 graduates knew they wanted to give back to the program that meant so much to them in their time as an undergrad student at Pitt, and to stay involved in a sport that they have given so much too, and a sport that has always give something back to them, whether a score worth celebrating or a pain worth grimacing over.
Offutt is volunteering as a meet director this season, helping the Pitt staff keep meets running smoothly.
"It's so nice to have former athletes out on the floor during meets - they kind of act like a traffic cop, directing all of the working parts of a competition," said head coach Debbie Yohman. "They know how meets should run and they know who to go to if something unusual comes up."
Yohman, continues to build a family atmosphere around the team as she continues to leave her legacy on the program. This upcoming year marks her 31st season at the helm of Pitt gymnastics.
Offutt isn't the only former gymnast who is still around the program. Two components from last year's EAGL championship team, Meagan Higdon and Julia Schindel have taken roles with the team filling positions of student assistant coach and team manager, respectively.
"I think the family aspect stays with our girls after graduation," added Yohman. "When they start school they have an automatic family grouping, and for four years they grow closer. Even with different interests and personalities, the gymnastics experience really bonds them. They graduate and there's a big hole in their day that they've never had before, but they stay in touch with their sisters forever."
While they will look to replace Offutt's heroics by committee, the talent on this team doesn't evade either former Panther.
"Considering the potential this team has, especially coming off a huge EAGL championship win; I believe this team will have a great season and continue to grow through the years," added Pearson.
Offutt's assessment of the 2017 Panthers was that they can reach the next level in their progression as a program.
"I believe the 2017 team is capable of capturing another EAGL win and moving onto NCAA Regionals. They have the talent and coaching staff to do it."
The Panthers will begin their season when they host Ohio State on Jan. 7 at the Fitzgerald Field House. The meet is set to begin at 6:30 p.m. and should be a solid test for Pitt as the Buckeyes were a participant in the Minneapolis NCAA Regional in 2016.
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