The College at Brockport defeated Rhode Island College on Senior Day 189.500-177.075 and one day later Cortland on the road 192.925-190.800 to become the number one ranked gymnastics team in the country.
In the RIC meet, Brockport swept the top five spots in the Uneven Bars led by senior Miranda Shaine, who netted the highest score with a 9.725. Allison Hester finished in second (9.650), Alyssa Klock took third (9.375), senior Bridgette Schaal nabbed fourth (8.925) and Amy Eck was fifth (8.800).
The Golden Eagles posted their highest team score of the meet on the floor with 48.400 as senior Brittany Vasile earned a meet high 9.850. Brockport took the top five spots on the floor with Kimberly Musall (9.725) finishing in second, Schaal (9.700) taking third, Shaine (9.650) fourth and Madison O’Malley (9.475) fifth.
“I was really nervous, but I believed in myself and I know that my body knows what to do, so I clear my head,” Vasile said about her final home performance. “It’s really hard especially being anchor on the floor, senior meet and being a senior and everyone around you sad that they already finished, so it was hard.”
Juniors Stephanie Mager and Candi Kowalik finished one-two on the Vault with 9.750 and 9.675 respectively.
Allison Hester and Shelby Schumacher tied for second on the Balance Beam with 9.500 scores. Senior Erica Roth was sixth.
The Golden Eagles have two more weekends of competition prior to the NCGA Regionals March 10 at Rhode Island College with the top-four teams in the nation advancing to the National Championships in Springfield, Massachusetts March 23-24. Brockport finished third in the nation last season.
“We rested some people that needed resting, but we got the chance to get some kids in there that we don’t normally see and they did really, really well which was a good thing to see because we have a big graduation (class) so the young kids need to start stepping up,” Brockport head coach John Feeney said after the RIC meet.
“There is a method to my madness and that’s to get us peaking at the right time.”
