Temple University Athletics
Head Coach Aaron Murphy
Photo by: Joy Bauer
Women's Gymnastics Set To Host Liberty Classic Invitational
2.4.10 | Women's Gymnastics
Owls open at home Saturday, February 6 in McGonigle Hall
PHILADELPHIA – The Temple women's gymnastics team is gearing up to host the Liberty Classic Invitational, to be held Saturday, February 6 starting at 1:00 p.m. in McGonigle Hall. The Owls will be competing at home for the first time this season, hosting conference-rivals Towson and Penn, along with Ursinus, West Chester and Wilson College.
“The team knows it will be a tough battle against the defending ECAC Champs - the Towson Tigers,” assessed head coach Aaron Murphy. “We hope to just stay focused on what we are doing in the meet, have consistency, and in the end let the scores speak for themselves.”
In his fourth year as head coach, Murphy has seen significant improvements in his team's performances this season. Recording a season high team total of 189.150 at the George Washington's Lindsey Ferris Invitational, the Owls have generated much needed momentum heading into the second half of the season.
“I am very pleased with the month of January thus far,” commented Murphy. “It was the best start to a season that I have had in my four years as head coach.”
The Cherry and White is averaging a team total of 188.462, a mark which ranks third in the conference. Contributions have come from up and down the roster for Temple, with a lineup that contains only two seniors in Nina Oteri and Danielle Viens.
All-around, sophomore Kaity Watson ranks ninth in the ECAC with an average of 37.406, posting a season-best 38.000 at the Lindsey Ferris Invitational and garnering ECAC Gymnast of the Week honors for her efforts. Watson also ranks in the top 10 amongst conference vault competitors, averaging a score of 9.619.
Freshman Jean Alban has made a stellar debut for the Owls, earning ECAC Rookie of the Week honors after competing all-around for the first time in her career at Ursinus (37.525).
Balance beam has been a strong point for the Owls this season, as a team owning the top average in the conference (47.587). Three Temple competitors own averages ranking in the top 10. Junior team captain Kathryn Ho and sophomore Corrine Williams rank two-three with means of 9.700 and 9.662, respectively. Junior Katie Canning posts a season average of 9.569 on the apparatus, holding seventh in the conference.
Williams and Canning also boast top 10 conference averages on floor exercise, consistently producing solid routines for the Owls.
”The team has been making the small improvements in the gym and we hope that they will apply to the month of February which will improve the team's overall score,” said Murphy. “We then look to peak in the month of March, which will hopefully put us on the podium as a team at ECAC's!”
As for the teams traveling to North Broad Street to compete Saturday, defending conference champion Towson has a hold on the top spot in the conference, owning a team total average of 190.487. The Tigers are led by senior Alise McDonald, who tops vault competitors with an average of 9.775. Temple has not out-placed Towson in their history, with the first meeting between the two teams coming in 1988.
Penn arrives across town averaging a meet total of 181.417, led by all-around competitor junior Elise Bowe (36.725 avg.). West Chester also commands 178.575 team average.
Local programs Ursinus and Wilson are faring well in the ECAC Division III conference. The Bears have registered the fourth-best team average in the ECAC-3 group (178.537), while Wilson averages a score of 167.400.
Action on Saturday, February 6 is slated for 1:00 p.m. in McGonigle Hall, with free admission for all fans. The competition will also be streamed live via Owlsports.com.
“The team knows it will be a tough battle against the defending ECAC Champs - the Towson Tigers,” assessed head coach Aaron Murphy. “We hope to just stay focused on what we are doing in the meet, have consistency, and in the end let the scores speak for themselves.”
In his fourth year as head coach, Murphy has seen significant improvements in his team's performances this season. Recording a season high team total of 189.150 at the George Washington's Lindsey Ferris Invitational, the Owls have generated much needed momentum heading into the second half of the season.
“I am very pleased with the month of January thus far,” commented Murphy. “It was the best start to a season that I have had in my four years as head coach.”
The Cherry and White is averaging a team total of 188.462, a mark which ranks third in the conference. Contributions have come from up and down the roster for Temple, with a lineup that contains only two seniors in Nina Oteri and Danielle Viens.
All-around, sophomore Kaity Watson ranks ninth in the ECAC with an average of 37.406, posting a season-best 38.000 at the Lindsey Ferris Invitational and garnering ECAC Gymnast of the Week honors for her efforts. Watson also ranks in the top 10 amongst conference vault competitors, averaging a score of 9.619.
Freshman Jean Alban has made a stellar debut for the Owls, earning ECAC Rookie of the Week honors after competing all-around for the first time in her career at Ursinus (37.525).
Balance beam has been a strong point for the Owls this season, as a team owning the top average in the conference (47.587). Three Temple competitors own averages ranking in the top 10. Junior team captain Kathryn Ho and sophomore Corrine Williams rank two-three with means of 9.700 and 9.662, respectively. Junior Katie Canning posts a season average of 9.569 on the apparatus, holding seventh in the conference.
Williams and Canning also boast top 10 conference averages on floor exercise, consistently producing solid routines for the Owls.
”The team has been making the small improvements in the gym and we hope that they will apply to the month of February which will improve the team's overall score,” said Murphy. “We then look to peak in the month of March, which will hopefully put us on the podium as a team at ECAC's!”
As for the teams traveling to North Broad Street to compete Saturday, defending conference champion Towson has a hold on the top spot in the conference, owning a team total average of 190.487. The Tigers are led by senior Alise McDonald, who tops vault competitors with an average of 9.775. Temple has not out-placed Towson in their history, with the first meeting between the two teams coming in 1988.
Penn arrives across town averaging a meet total of 181.417, led by all-around competitor junior Elise Bowe (36.725 avg.). West Chester also commands 178.575 team average.
Local programs Ursinus and Wilson are faring well in the ECAC Division III conference. The Bears have registered the fourth-best team average in the ECAC-3 group (178.537), while Wilson averages a score of 167.400.
Action on Saturday, February 6 is slated for 1:00 p.m. in McGonigle Hall, with free admission for all fans. The competition will also be streamed live via Owlsports.com.
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