The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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"I think we are a better team than we were a year ago, but we have to prove we can hit the routine." ■ Head coach Mark Stevenson compete for an East Atlantic Gymnastics League title. That's because with Pittsburgh joining the ACC next season, NC State, T ■ PREVIEW GYMNASTICS UNC, Maryland and the Panthers will split from the EAGL to form an ACC gymnas- tics league starting in 2014. This year is also a transition from a se- nior-oriented squad last season that helped the Pack finish second in the EAGL and No. 20 in the Troester.com rankings. "This year, we are going to be count- ing on basically underclassmen," NCSU gymnastics head coach Mark Stevenson said. "It will be interesting to see how they perform. "You always worry about losing that quality of athletes, and if you look at what those six seniors did last year, it wasn't that their level of gymnastics was so huge … they just never missed. They were over 80 percent as far as no-fall meets. That's probably a record for my teams." ■ Key Dates To Watch At LSU, Jan. 4 — Season starts with a road meet in Wolfpack Will Compete In Its Final Season In The EAGL BY MATT CARTER MOVING ON Stevenson, in his 33rd season leading he 2013 gymnastics season will be a transition year in more ways than one for NC State. It's the last time the Pack will the Pack, believes his team will be strong on the balance beam, noting they have 12 athletes that can score 9.8 or better. He also is confident about their floor exercise rou- tines, and feels that the vault should be at least equal to if not better than last season. His primary concern is depth on the un- even bars. "We lost half our lineup," he noted. Exciting freshmen Brittni Watkins and Michaela Woodford are expected to help on all four apparatuses, including uneven bars. Junior Stephanie Ouellette, last year's top all-around performer, is also back. There is a chance that senior Rachel Fin- cham, who competed at the NCAA Cham- pionships on the vault, and maybe even junior Diahanna Ham could also compete in all-around. Stevenson is confident that his young squad will also give him good effort, noting that State "never had kids work so hard." "I think we are a better team than we were a year ago, but we have to prove we can hit the routine," he added. "We have a better skill level." ■ meet at Reynolds Coliseum includes Bowling Green, George Washington, North Carolina, Pittsburgh and William & Mary this year. EAGL Championships, March 23 — The final EAGL meet for NC State will be in Chapel Hill, N.C. Baton Rouge, La., against the Tigers, who return the favor and come to Raleigh March 15. Sweetheart Invitational, Feb. 16 — The annual 4 10 12 EAGL titles won by the Pack since the league was formed in 1996. By The Numbers Consecutive appearances in the NCAA Regional for NC State. Wolfpack gymnasts to make the EAGL All- Academic Team in 2012. 100 ■ THE WOLFPACKER will be held at Maryland, and then NCSU will host the second one. Wolfpack gymnastics coach Mark Stevenson's hope is that ACC members Clemson and Virginia, who both have strong club gymnastics squads, might be enticed to join the league. • With West Virginia leaving the EAGL to join • The first ACC Championship meet in gymnastics Noting The Pack the Big 12 and replace Missouri in their gymnastics league, the EAGL has invited Towson to take the Mountaineers' place for this season. Towson, New Hampshire, George Washington and Rutgers will make up the new EAGL when the four ACC schools break off. • A potential sleeper on this year's roster could Key Gymnasts To Watch lette competed in the all- around event in each meet last season and led the Pack with 18 podium appearances. She was a first-team All-EAGL selection on the uneven bars, floor exercise and all-around, Junior Stephanie Ouellette With one exception, Ouel- and she was second-team on the balance beam. Senior Rachel Fincham Fincham was State's lone qualifier for the NCAA Cham- pionships last season. She reached the finals by winning the uneven bars at the NCAA Regional in Raleigh with her second 9.90 score of the year in the event. Fincham had five of State's top six scores on uneven bars last year. year, reached the top of the medal podium as many times as Ham did last season. Both scored seven individual wins, and Ham's 15 overall podium appearances were second to Ouellette on the team. Junior Diahanna Ham Only Jess Panza, a senior last Newcomer To Watch man Britni Watkins may be asked to play large roles on this team. Woodford is a two- time Junior Olympics National qualifier and finished sixth in the all-around there in 2012. Woodford also finished third in the all-around at the Eastern Nationals in 2012. "When we went and watched Michaela on our Freshman Michaela Woodford Woodford and fellow fresh- be junior Kristen Harabedian, who was in the lineup last year on the uneven bars. Stevenson noted Har- abedian has a chance to do three events this year, adding the floor and beam. "It would be a great step for her because Kristen has always been on bars but the backup on the other events. She has really put herself in great position," Stevenson noted. recruiting trip, she spent an hour on the balance beam and fell only once, so we think she can be consistent," head coach Mark Stevenson said. Junior Stephanie Ouellette was a first-team All-EAGL selection on the uneven bars, floor exercise and all-around last season, and she was second-team on the balance beam. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS