The UW-La Crosse hosted the 2015 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) this past weekend. On Friday, March 27, UW-L captured the Team Championship, giving them a record 16th national school title. Gymnastics coach, Barbara Gibson, has led the Eagles to all 16 of their titles. Gibson was named 2015 NCGA Coach of the Year. This was their first national’s title since 2011.
UW-L competed against five other teams: UW-Whitewater and Ursinus College (PA) tied for second, College of Brockport (NY) took fourth, State University of NY Cortland came in fifth, while UW-Stout took last place. The Eagles finished with a team score of 191.525, which ranks second in NCGA Championship history.
Friday night also consisted of the All-Around. Freshman Amy Enright placed third to earn NCGA All-America honors. She was the only one from the Eagles team who competed in the all-around.
Saturday, March 28 was when the individual event (uneven parallel bars, vault, balance beam, floor exercise) championship took place. Six of UW-L’s gymnasts competed. The Eagle gymnasts started out not as strong as they could have. UW-Whitewater seemed like the sure front runners of the individual championship. As soon as R3 and R4 competition came around, UW-L kicked it up a notch and their gymnasts had great performances.
Enright and Samantha Wiekamp tied for first on the uneven parallel bars with a score of 9.800. These two also tied for first with Katie Fiorilli of UW-Whitewater and Maddy Scozzie of State University of New York Cortland. These girls set a new school record with their scores for uneven parallel bars. The record was previously held by UW-L’s Nina Schubert in 2004.
Wiekamp also competed on the vault and tied for 14th with a score of 9.575. Enright also competed on the floor exercise and placed 14th with a score of 9.575. Ali Berry competed in the floor exercise and came away with fourth place with a score of 9.725. These three earned NCGA First Team All-American Honors.
Elsa Spitzmueller and Kelsi Vomacka tied for seventh in the floor exercise with a score of 9.675. They were named to NCGA’s Second Team All-America.
During these floor exercises the entire Eagles gymnasts’ team showed great support for their fellow teammates. Every time one of their own was performing, they stood close by and were screaming and clapping along to the song/routine. All the teams showed great support and sportsmanship for each other.
UW-L’s Kerry Scarfidi took 17th on the balance beam with a score of 8.900, while Kari Willet took 19th with a score of 8.475. Eagle’s Lauren Wilson finished 17th on the uneven parallel bars with a score of 9.200.
Enright closed off the season saying this about her first season as a gymnast here at UW-L.“If there is one thing I have learned this season, it is how to take part in the team experience. It is wonderful to be surrounded by so many talented women pushing each other to be better every day!