Gymnastics: WVU Seeks Seventh EAGL Title

By Shannon McNamara for WVUsports.com
March 22, 2012 02:56 PM

Coach Jason Butts

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MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In its final EAGL Championship appearance, the West Virginia University gymnastics team seeks its league-best seventh title this Saturday, March 24. The University of Pittsburgh will play host to the meet at the Fitzgerald Field House, in Pittsburgh, Pa., at 2 p.m.

The Mountaineers (14-5, 5-1) enter the championship ranked No. 2 behind nationally ranked No. 20 NC State. The Wolpack boast a 195.715 regional qualifying score (RQS), while WVU owns a 194.955 RQS. New Hampshire is ranked No. 3 (194.715), and Maryland is ranked No. 4 (194.645).

North Carolina, the two-time defending EAGL champions, are ranked No. 5, while the host Panthers are No. 6, George Washington is No. 7 and Rutgers is No. 8.

WVU has proven itself against ranked teams this season and owns a 4-4 record, including a 195.675-195.125 upset over No. 8 Arkansas on March 10.

“We’re definitely ready for this championship,” says first-year coach Jason Butts. “We’re coming off some strong meets, and we’re ready to travel. We have gone 49.0-plus on each event this season, and we just need to put it all together this weekend.

“The best part about this championship is it doesn’t even feel like a road meet. We are so close to Pitt, and the team has competed at the venue before and has a familiarity with it. I think this gives us a competitive edge. I think they will go in to the gym and treat it like a home meet.”

A victory or second-place finish at this weekend’s championship would give WVU its first 20-win season since 2008, when the squad finished 23-8 and won its last EAGL title, at the WVU Coliseum. The squad cruised to victory, scoring 196.05 to the second-place Wolfpack’s 195.475. Prior to that title, the Mountaineers last won the championship in 2004 with a 197.05 mark at Pitt, also the last time the Panthers played host to the league championship.

The Mountaineers have never gone more than four years without winning an EAGL Championship.

“I think this team really wants to win the title for our seniors (Tina Maloney and Nicole Roach),” says Butts. “I think those two just want everyone to go in there and have a good meet. Their focus is on leading this team. We can only control our gymnastics, and that’s what we have to accomplish.”

The Mountaineers are 5-1 against league opponents this year, having defeated Maryland and Rutgers twice, and George Washington. WVU dropped a 195.75-194.225 decision at UNH on Feb. 25. The Mountaineers own a winning record against every EAGL team.

WVU has finished in the top four in each of the last four league championships, including a fourth-place finish at last year’s meet with a 193.725 mark. The Mountaineers finished third in 2010 and second in 2009.

The Mountaineers’ championship rotation order plays to their strengths, as the squad will open on floor after a bye. Ranked No. 21 (49.015) in the nation, WVU owns the league’s top floor ranking, a spot it has held each week except two this season. The Mountaineers, coming off a season-best road score of 49.025 on March 16, have hit 57-of-60 routines this season and have earned 22 scores of 9.8 or better. All six competing gymnasts have hit for 9.825 or better at least once this year.

After a third-rotation bye, WVU will move to vault. The squad, ranked No. 22 (48.98) nationally, ranks No. 2 in the league. All but one of the competing Mountaineers owns a season average of 9.708 or better.

After vault, WVU’s remaining rotation order is as follows: bye, bars, bye, beam.

“I like starting on a bye because it allows us to compete up until the last possible second,” Butts explains. “This also will allow us the advantage of knowing what we have to do on that last event to secure the win. I also like that we’re starting on floor and vault. Those are two strong events for us, and we should be very confident during those rotations. Hopefully, we can get off to a good start and build a lead.”

Sophomore Hope Sloanhoffer enters the meet ranked No. 1 in the league with a 39.165 RQS. The Cornwall, N.Y., native has held the top spot throughout the 2012 season. Nationally, she ranks No. 33 in the all-around and No. 42 (9.84) on beam. In addition to her EAGL No. 1 all-around ranking, she also ranks No. 3 on beam, No. 5 on vault and No. 8 on bars.

Sloanhoffer has scored 39.0-plus eight times this season, including a career-best 39.3. She also has scored career highs on beam (9.95) and bars (9.85).

Junior Alaska Richardson, nationally ranked No. 40, is the league’s No. 2 floor worker with a 9.855 RQS. The Dayton, Ohio, native, has tallied 9.825 or better in each of the last four meets and won the event on March 10 with a career-best 9.9. She also ranks No. 8 (9.835) in the league on vault.

Richardson’s classmate, Kaylyn Millick, enters the meet ranked on three events. The team’s top bars worker, she is ranked No. 5 (9.82) in the league. The Washington, Pa., native also ranks No. 6 (38.92) in the all-around and No. 10 (9.815) on floor. In nine meets this year, Millick has scored below 9.8 on floor only once.

Maloney is the only other Mountaineer ranked within the EAGL’s Top 10, as the Hanover, Ind., native checks in at No. 9 (38.62) on the all-around chart. She is not expected to compete as an all-arounder at the championship, but she will see action on vault, bars and floor.

The Mountaineers concluded their 2012 regular season with a 196.85-194.9 loss at No. 10 LSU on March 16. Richardson led the team to its season-best floor road score with a third place, 9.85 routine; she was the lone Mountaineer to reach the podium. Millick tallied her second straight 39.0-plus score and finished fourth overall with 39.1 points.

Fans wishing to follow the team on Saturday can find links for live scores and a video feed at MSNsportsNET.com.

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