By D.F. Pendrys (Full scores coming later, scores listed are from eyewitness account verified against official results. Note: Springfield College is mentioned in the context of a news report, no endorsement of Springfield College is stated nor implied with regards to any aspect of collegiate athletics. )(A more detailed analysis of scores and moves will be coming later on in the week once scores are all posted.) [Image Gallery]
March 16th, 2008
The eight teams that make up the Division 3 portion of the ECAC conference marched into Springfield College’s Blake Arena proudly to the supporting cheers of a large contingent fans.
Each school basically had their own cheering section of committed parents, fans, and alumni. Springfield sounded like they had a larger cheering section, as would be expected from the home crowd, but the other schools kept up with the enthusiasm and noise throughout. Over four hours later, three schools would learn that they were headed to Division 3 National Championships and they would be joined by a variety of individual competitors from the other teams as well. Ursinus would be going by virtue of capturing the ECAC Championship this day with a 187.675. Second was SUNY Brockport with a 187.175, and SUNY Cortland with a 186.750. Cortland, as host of D3 nationals was going to go anyway, but they earned the shot no questions asked with the third place finish. Springfield was close but fourth with a 185.875, MIT had a 185.025, which was a season high for them as they did very well on 3 of 4 events especially. Ithaca came in sixth with a 183.150.
The meet built with anticipation throughout, it was obvious the meet was close between the top teams. After one rotation, Brockport had opened on floor with and lead the meet with a 46.775, MIT was in second place after a 46.550 on Beam, the most treacherous of the four events. Ursinus was third with a 46.525 on Bars. Ithaca wasn’t far behind with a 46 on Vault, Cortland was fifth with a 45.425 on Bars, and Springfield sixth with a 44.750 on Beam.
Following Rotation 2, Brockport was still in the lead with a combined 93.800 after their vault. Ursinus had jumped into second place, after their beam rotation and picked up a 93.6. MIT’s floor routine kept them at third with a 93.275. Cortland had jumped a place to 92.575 after a Beam appearance. Springfield moved to fourth after their Floor with a 91.950, and Ithaca’s Bars routine had them in sixth with a 90.475.
Rotation 3 saw a big shift in the placement, as Ursinus jumped into first with their Floor routine and had a 141.050. MIT’s Vault propelled them back into second with a 140.550. Brockport fell to third, after a bars routine and had a 140.200. Springfield was still in fourth after their Vault rotation. Cortland dropped to fifth after their Floor rotation and had a 139.400. Ithaca was in six with a 135.625 after a Beam rotation.
So Rotation 4 would settle it. At this point it was pretty much down to the top five. Interestingly enough, as the rotations had worked out, none of those teams would be on floor in the final rotation, and Brockport had to finish on Beam, with MIT and Springfield on Bars, and Ursinus and Cortland on the Vault. As can be seen by the final results, Ursinus kept the momentum towards first going with their vault routine, Brockport put together a Beam rotation to fly back into second, and Cortland vaulted over MIT and Springfield into third. Springfield held at fourth, and MIT dropped to fifth. If one looks for competition and suspense in a gymnastics meet this one provided it.
As the meet was concluded the senior class of the ECAC was recognized before the crowd as well as all past ECAC D3 gymnasts of the week. Then came the results and award announcements.
The ECAC D3 coach of the year is Gary Babjack of Cortland, the rookie of the year is Ithaca’s Kailee Spusta, and the Co-Gymnasts of the year are MIT’s Sophia Harrison, and Briana Morrisey of Ursinus.
The top finishers were as follows…
In the All Around, Sophia Harrison from MIT finished her last ECAC Championships in style with a 38.275 to win the event. In second by a razor-thin margin was Briana Morrissey from Ursinus. Two of Morrissey’s teammates, Kira Oldham-Curtis with a 38.075, and Olivia Oller with a 37.8 came in fourth and fifth. Julia Zimmerman from MIT was fifth with a 37.725, and Brittany Wiesner from SUNY Cortland placed sixth with a 37.350.
On the Vault it would be Zimmerman with the first place honors after posting a 9.750. Lauren Gildemeyer from Brockport was second with her close 9.725. Springfield Jackie Mazzola was third with a 9.75, Amber French from Cortland 4th with a 9.650, Ericca Castagna and Brittany Davis from the home team of SC had 9.6’s to tie for fifth.
On the Uneven Bars, it was Harrison with the victory as she put up a 9.625. Ursinus’ Oller and Oldham-Curtis were in close second with 9.6s. Brockport’s Christina Baggetta was fourth with a 9.550, Danielle Chmelewski from Ursinus was fifth with a 9.525, and Nicole Horodyski from Brockport was sixth with a 9.450.
Brockport’s Lauren Gildemeyer and Cortland’s Christine Haung’s both won the Balance Beam with their 9.625. Oller from UC and Nikki Visnick from Brockport were third with a 9.6. Cortland’s Wiesner was 5th with a 9.575 and Morrisey from Ursinus had a 9.550.
On Floor, it would be Cortland’s French and UC’s Morrissey who both had 9.8s to win first place. Finishing third was Nikki Fisher from Brockport and Harrison from MIT had 9.675. Jenn Najuch from Cortland, Oldham-Curtis from UC, and Zimmerman from MIT had 9.650s for fifth place.
Based on their finishes, the following gymnasts from teams that didn’t qualify for nationals have earned a trip.
In the All Around, Harrison, Zimmerman, Alexandra Ploenes from SC, and MIT’s Sarah Trowbridge are going.
In the Vault Springfield is sending Mazzola, Castagna, Brittany Davis, Jenna Williams, and Jeanna Bradle, and MIT will be sending Alison Barnard.
On the Bars, SC’s Bradle, Williams, and Ashley Moreck will be going. Ithaca is sending France Ente, Devon Birek, and Roxanne DeShaies.
On the Beam, Ithaca’s Brianne Sullivan, Justine Picciano, and Lauren Ferrone will be going. MIT’s Katie Mingo earned a trip, and SC’s Penelope Bohunko and Brittany Davis will compete on that event.
Finally on Floor, IC’s Jessica Oddo, Kailee Spusta, and Sullivan will be at nationals, as well as Bradle, Davis, and Castagna from Springfield.
