New Season, New Era for Gymastics

When the season kicks off for the Temple gymnastics team this weekend, the Owls will be soaring into a new era.

After 14 seasons competing in the ECAC, Temple has made the leap to the Eastern Athletic Gymnastics League (EAGL). Back-to-back conference championships weren't enough to satisfy the Cherry and White, as the team looks to new heights for the 2021 season, starting with an upgrade in competition.

"The EAGL will be a challenging step up for us competitively, but we can't wait to bring Temple gymnastics to the next level," said third year head coach Josh Nilson, when the conference change was announced. And as the preseason progressed, these thoughts were only cemented.

A year ago, Temple was poised to repeat as ECAC Champions, leading the conference in NQS from the start of the season. Owl gymnasts were at the top of every event ranking in the conference as well. But then, three weeks before Temple was to host the ECAC Championships at McGonigle Hall, the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"To end the season like we ended it last year was gut wrenching," remembered Nilson. "That last day in the gym was tough, especially for the seniors, none of us really believed it was true. We got a phone call that things were on, and then five minutes later we got another call that everything was done."

Like many teams, Temple has had to deal with complications surrounding the pandemic for months. The team has varied timelines for getting athletes competition ready, as several members of the team were out of training for nearly six months due to gym closures. But while every athlete may be on a different path back to competition this year, Nilson knows the team, as a whole, is ready for the season to start.

"Taking six months off from a sport like gymnastics isn't smart," he said. "It's going to be a total team effort; it's going to take everyone on the team. So, while individuals may not be ready on every event, the team as a whole is ready."

The offseason brought many changes for the Owls, new gymnasts, a new assistant coach, a new TV network (ESPN+), and even new gear, as the Temple Athletics Department signed a contract with Nike. But despite those changes, the drive that the team has remains unchanged, as they step into the new era.

Vault
A strong vaulting team in 2020, the Owls averaged a 48.614 last season, including setting a program record with a 49.150 in the penultimate meet of the year. Temple returns just three regular vaulters from that group, but it includes junior Ariana Castrence, who won six event titles a year ago, and has a Yurchenko double twist in her arsenal.

Also returning for Temple on vault is sophomore Madison Brooks, who took home one title on the event last season, while scoring a 9.8 or better in each of her final three meets. Senior Tori Edwards, who had five scores over 9.700 in 2020, brings veteran poise to the vault group.

Newcomers to the lineup could include Bridgeport transfers Caitlin Gray and Julianna Roland, as well as true freshman Renee Schugman.

Bars
Temple shook off any notion of the Owls being "bad at bars" in 2020, recording a season NQS of 48.715 on the event. The team recorded the program's second highest total in history, notching a 49.300 at George Washington, a score which ranked 22nd nationally on the event.

Temple will miss the routines of graduating senior Jazmyn Estrella, who's 9.950 set a new program record in 2020, but the Owls return four consistent performers on the event. Castrence, Brooks, Edwards, and senior Delaney Garin, who combined for seven event titles in 2020, will be back to anchor the bars lineup in 2021.

Look for Gray to make an impact to Temple's lineup this year, along with junior Nichole Smith and newcomers Cyrena Whalen and Roland.

Beam
Though beam was the Owls' lowest scoring event in 2020, the team proved that with greater consistency, they could shine. Temple beamers combined for a 49.100 in a late January meet last season, which ranked second all-time on the event in program history.

Temple returns five of its six regulars on the event, led by Garin, who took home four event titles a year ago. Castrence, Brooks, senior Jordyn Oster and junior Taylor Newland provide veteran depth on the event.

Temple's depth on beam extends to over 14 athletes this season, but new faces could include Roland, Schugman, and freshman Brooke Donabedian.

Floor
Floor was Temple's second-best event of 2020 with a 48.600 average, and the team will look to improve on that for 2021. The Owls return a bulk of its strong floor workers from a year ago, as Castrence, Edwards, Garin, Newland, and Oster are all capable of going 9.8+ on the event.

Temple has upgraded its difficulty on floor across the board. New faces Donabedian, Roland, and Schugman should break into the lineup, while veterans Faith Leary and Grace Busch could also make an impact.

As a team, the 2020 Temple squad recorded three team scores which ranked in the top six in program history. The Owls closed the halted 2020 season on an upward trend, including a season-best 195.575 in their last time out on the floor. That score went into the record books as the third highest team total in program history.

The sky's the limit for the Owls in their new era for 2021. The team combines veteran leadership with talented newcomers and will be in the hunt for a bid to the NCAA Regionals.

"We've had so many changes and adjustments and plans that fell through leading up to this year, I think the team is cautiously excited," said Nilson. "But when they walk in, I think that's when it's really going to hit them. They're ready and they're going to be on fire when it finally happens."

Temple University Athletics

New Season, New Era for Gymastics

Players Mentioned

Madison Brooks

Grace Busch

Ariana Castrence

Brooke Donabedian

Tori Edwards

Jazmyn Estrella

Delaney Garin

Caitlin Gray

Faith Leary

Taylor Newland

Jordyn Oster

Julianna Roland

Renee Schugman

Nichole Smith

Cyrena Whalen

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