TEMPLE WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS OPENS 2005 SEASON WEDNESDAY AT BRIDGEPORT

PHILADELPHIA - With leadership from 20-year head coach Ken Anderson, the Owls will look to build on a successful 2004 season when they open-up their 2005 campaign at Bridgeport on Wednesday, January 12.  Last year saw the Owls finish with a 14-14 mark, their best since 1995 when they were 17-11. Temple advanced to the USAG Championships for the second straight year and placed fourth among eight teams. Losing only two seniors to graduation, the Owls boast the largest roster (24) in school history. Anderson expects that with the depth and talent any one of the 24 gymnasts could step up and compete for a top position. 

"Our goal for this year is to reach the USAG's and place within the top four," Anderson said. "Last year's USAG championship was so tight that 1.925 of a point separated fourth place from first. This year's team definitely has the talent to place higher."

Senior captain Erika Messa and junior captain Lindsey Stern will lead the team.  Messa has been voted "most improved" by the coaches each of the last two seasons which is a testament to her tremendous work ethic. Stern is coming off a successful season where she scored career bests on floor exercise, uneven bars and the balance beam. Stern was also part of the 2004 team that scored a school record on uneven bars with a 49.350. Both will be tremendous assets to the all around competition this season.

"This year's team is so talented," Messa said. "With 24 girls it's hard not to find an area where we excel.  Each tournament we look to beat our personal bests and keep improving. In gymnastics it is so important to peak at the end of the season rather than in the middle. The program has come so far since I was a freshman and I want to make sure I leave this program with no regrets."

In addition to the captains, senior and USAG All-Academic selection Erin Davis will be an asset on the uneven bars and beam, two events she received USAG All-America honors in 2004. The team will look to Davis to provide additional leadership that only a senior of her caliber can provide. 

Senior Alexis Zafferes is expected to contribute in the vault and uneven bars. Zafferes concluded the 2004 season by earning USAG All-America honors on the vault, placing fourth in the USAG competition with a score of 9.737.  She is also expected to be a force on the uneven bars this year. 

Junior Deirdre Mattocks was a bronze medalist, tying for third place on the uneven bars at the USAG National Championship this past year, capturing USAG All-America honors.

Following a tremendous season in which she broke the school record on uneven bars with a score of 9.90, Sarah Liebowitz hopes to build on that progress in her sophomore year.  Liebowitz also set personal bests in floor exercise and all around.

Perhaps the biggest testament to Temple's high expectations comes from the talent of the underclassmen. Temple adds eight freshmen to the roster and retains five sophomores from last year's squad.  Desiree Meredith is an incoming freshman who took a year off after graduating high school.  She has devoted her time exclusively to school and gymnastics. Anderson says she displays surprising power on the floor exercise and vault. Freshman Alycia Petitto qualified for the USA Level 10 Nationals her senior year of high school. Sophomore Noelle Moore is Temple's secret weapon this year. Coming back from an ankle injury Anderson believes Noelle will be strong in the all around.  Anderson says, "About three quarters of the freshmen are strong on the floor. Each of them is doing high difficulty routines.  Competition for the top spot on floor is going to be fierce, and they are strong in other events, too.

"This year's team is the largest in Temple's history.  If I have any reservations it's about keeping the girls focused with so many bodies in the gym. The talent is there, it's now up to them to decide if they want to live up to it.  The ladies and I both believe we can be USAG champions this year. Competition for events will be apparent between the girls; with so much talent it's inevitable.  What we have to do as a team is work past that and elevate the total talent of the team."

Temple University Athletics

TEMPLE WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS OPENS 2005 SEASON WEDNESDAY AT BRIDGEPORT

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