University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Three Panthers Qualify for National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships
3/22/2021 5:11:00 PM | Women's Gymnastics
Beckwith, Chamberlain, Coca Advance to Postseason
PITTSBURGH – Three Panthers will represent the University of Pittsburgh gymnastics team as individual specialists at the 2021 National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships.
Sophomore Lauren Beckwith will compete on balance beam, while junior Katie Chamberlain and graduate Katrina Coca qualified for uneven bars.
Each gymnast was selected as one of the top 16 event specialists based on National Qualifying Scores (NQS). The three were placed at the Morgantown, W.Va., regional site and will compete Friday, April 2, inside WVU Coliseum.
Beckwith and Chamberlain earned the first National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships qualifications of their careers. Coca was a four-time regional qualifier (2016-19) and three-time competitor while at the University of Kentucky (2016, 2017, 2018), prior to transferring to Pitt before the 2020 season. The Wildcats qualified as a team in 2019 but Coca was unable to compete due to injury.
LAUREN BECKWITH
A Westerville, Ohio, native, Beckwith leads Pitt with a 9.856 NQS on beam. She recorded a season-high score of 9.875 at West Virginia (March 14) and earned a team-best three individual beam titles during the 2021 regular season. Beckwith was named to the All-East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) First Team for beam for the first time in her career prior to Saturday's EAGL Championship meet.
KATIE CHAMBERLAIN
Competing for the first time since the first meet of her freshman season in 2019, Chamberlain's triumphant return to the Pitt lineups includes an All-EAGL First Team selection on bars with an NQS of 9.863. The junior is tied for the team-best score of the season in the event with a career-best 9.900, which she earned in just her second meet back, against No. 23 Kent State (Jan. 24). Her 9.900 on bars ties for eighth place all-time in the Pitt record book. The Simi Valley, Calif., native recorded back-to-back individual bars titles of the season in her first two meets (Jan. 15 and 24).
KATRINA COCA
To go from competing on just one event over her last six years as a collegiate gymnast, overcoming multiple injuries, including a ruptured Achilles in 2020, to competing as an all-arounder in 2021 can only be described as remarkable. In her first season competing since 2018, Coca made a splash with her return the competition floor in 2021, earning a second-place ranking and All-EAGL First Team honors on bars with an NQS of 9.881. At the 2021 EAGL Championship, Coca was named the league's Senior Gymnast of the Year. Coca earned a team-best and career-best 9.900 on bars this season, recorded in a quad meet at Towson (Feb. 19). Her 9.900 on bars ties for eighth place all-time in the Pitt record book.
WHAT'S ON THE LINE
The top event specialist at each regional site who is not part of an advancing team or all-around competitor will advance to the national championships in that event only. The national championships will take place April 16-17 in Fort Worth, Texas, at Dickies Arena.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Sophomore Lauren Beckwith will compete on balance beam, while junior Katie Chamberlain and graduate Katrina Coca qualified for uneven bars.
Each gymnast was selected as one of the top 16 event specialists based on National Qualifying Scores (NQS). The three were placed at the Morgantown, W.Va., regional site and will compete Friday, April 2, inside WVU Coliseum.
Beckwith and Chamberlain earned the first National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships qualifications of their careers. Coca was a four-time regional qualifier (2016-19) and three-time competitor while at the University of Kentucky (2016, 2017, 2018), prior to transferring to Pitt before the 2020 season. The Wildcats qualified as a team in 2019 but Coca was unable to compete due to injury.
LAUREN BECKWITH
A Westerville, Ohio, native, Beckwith leads Pitt with a 9.856 NQS on beam. She recorded a season-high score of 9.875 at West Virginia (March 14) and earned a team-best three individual beam titles during the 2021 regular season. Beckwith was named to the All-East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) First Team for beam for the first time in her career prior to Saturday's EAGL Championship meet.
KATIE CHAMBERLAIN
Competing for the first time since the first meet of her freshman season in 2019, Chamberlain's triumphant return to the Pitt lineups includes an All-EAGL First Team selection on bars with an NQS of 9.863. The junior is tied for the team-best score of the season in the event with a career-best 9.900, which she earned in just her second meet back, against No. 23 Kent State (Jan. 24). Her 9.900 on bars ties for eighth place all-time in the Pitt record book. The Simi Valley, Calif., native recorded back-to-back individual bars titles of the season in her first two meets (Jan. 15 and 24).
KATRINA COCA
To go from competing on just one event over her last six years as a collegiate gymnast, overcoming multiple injuries, including a ruptured Achilles in 2020, to competing as an all-arounder in 2021 can only be described as remarkable. In her first season competing since 2018, Coca made a splash with her return the competition floor in 2021, earning a second-place ranking and All-EAGL First Team honors on bars with an NQS of 9.881. At the 2021 EAGL Championship, Coca was named the league's Senior Gymnast of the Year. Coca earned a team-best and career-best 9.900 on bars this season, recorded in a quad meet at Towson (Feb. 19). Her 9.900 on bars ties for eighth place all-time in the Pitt record book.
WHAT'S ON THE LINE
The top event specialist at each regional site who is not part of an advancing team or all-around competitor will advance to the national championships in that event only. The national championships will take place April 16-17 in Fort Worth, Texas, at Dickies Arena.
#H2P | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Players Mentioned
AA
/ Women's Gymnastics
AA
/ Women's Gymnastics
AA
/ Women's GymnasticsTuesday, January 23
Friday, April 28
Wednesday, March 31
Wednesday, March 31