Women's Gymnastics Posts Season-High 192.525 at ECAC Championships

Saturday, March 19

Williamsburg, VA

12:00 p.m.

Temple University

192.525

193.550

Brown

Women's Gymnastics Posts Season-High 192.525 at ECAC Championships

3.19.16 | Women's Gymnastics

WILLIAMSBURG, VA. – In the Owls' final competition of the season, Temple women's gymnastics posted its best score of 2016 at the ECAC Championships on Saturday afternoon with a 192.525. Overall, the team placed fifth out of six teams, besting Yale who earned a 192.15. The Big Red of Cornell took home the team title with a 193.925.

"We were definitely in the thick of the meet and right on track with what everyone else was scoring for the most part," said head coach Umme Salim-Beasley. "We came away with a really positive attitude about how we performed this season and have a really good outlook and foundation to be a really good team next year."

Junior Briana Odom is bringing home a conference floor title, an honor that has been a staple event title in Temple gymnastics history last won by Jasmine Johnson in 2014. With a score of 9.825, Odom topped all floor competitors and tied with Aaliyah Kerr of William & Mary for the title.

Aside from her first-place floor performance, Odom earned a 9.8 on bars, 9.7 on beam, and a 9.725 on vault on her way to a 39.05 all-around score that placed second overall. Odom trailed all-around winner Brittany Stover of William & Mary but just 0.125. Odom also placed in a tie for fourth on bars.

"I think today showed what Bri was 100 percent capable of," said Salim-Beasley. "She pushed herself and really wanted to become a regional qualifier this season. She ended up missing a few meets with that extra pressure so today was our last meet of the year. I told the girls before the meet to have no regrets and not hold back because we wanted to go out on a high note. That is exactly what Bri did."

The Owls' floor team took first among all teams with their 48.65 event total. Behind Odom's 9.825 was Alexa Phillip scoring a 9.8 that placed second overall in the sophomore's first conference appearance. India Anderson posted a 9.775 with Reagan Oliveri and Sahara Gipson adding scores of 9.675 and 9.575, respectively.

Bars, which started the night for the Owls, posted an impressive 48.55 that ranked third among all six teams. This event total is the highest bar score posted by the Owls at a conference championship in the past 10 years. The rotation was led again by Odom's 9.8. Phillip added a solid 9.75 and freshman Breahna Wiczkowski posted her season-high score of 9.725. The lineup was rounded out by Gipson's 9.675 and Michaela Lapent's 9.6.

The Owls' vault team also posted a team event score above 48.0 with a 48.375. Gipson led the lineup with a 9.75 that placed her in a tie for second overall. Both Odom and Aya Mahgoub posted marks of 9.725 with Anderson adding a 9.675. Oliveri and Kayla Kennedy both tallied scores of 9.5 to round out the event.

Beam, which has been a troubling spot for the Owls all season, saw three hits for an event total of 46.95. Odom, Oliveri and Victoria Reggiani posted the top marks led by Odom's 9.7. Oliveri anchored the event with a 9.65 and Reggiani tallied a 9.575.

"I think what we did as a team this year was put a lot of excitement and confidence back in the program," said Salim-Beasley. "The girls really bought into the new philosophy and structure put in place by the new staff. We were competitive with every team we competed against this year despite the inconsistenty we had, and I couldn't be more satisfied with that."