Gymnastics Wins 2021 EAGL Championship

Saturday, March 20

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Temple University

196.500

194.350

Pittsburgh

Photo by: Alex Mowrey, Pitt Athletics

Gymnastics Wins 2021 EAGL Championship

3.20.21 | Women's Gymnastics

Results (PDF)

PHILADELPHIA -- It was an unlikely three-peat for the Temple gymnastics team, as the Owls won the 2021 East Atlantic Gymnastic League (EAGL) Championship with a program record score on Saturday night at the University of Pittsburgh. After winning back-to-back ECAC Championships in 2019 and 2020, the Owls soared to the EAGL this season, winning the conference title with a massive 196.500 after being seeded fourth in the meet.

Meet Notes
> Competing in the evening session, Temple's score to beat was the 196.050 from NC State in the first session, which would have tied a program record for the Owls.
> The Cherry and White rose to the occasion, smashing that score with a program-record 196.500, topping the previous best by .450.
> Temple tied a season-best with a 48.925 on bars to lead off the competition, but ranked fourth overall in the combined standings.
> The Owls climbed to second place with an outstanding beam rotation that tied the program record of 49.225. Temple's two-event total of 98.150 ranked behind only Towson's 98.275, while NC State was third with a 98.125.
> Temple took over the meet lead with the best floor rotation in school history, going 49.375, breaking the previous record by .075. The Owls led with a 147.525, jumping in front of NC State (147.100) and Towson (147.000).
> Temple closed out the record-setting meet on vault, going 48.975 to finish with their 196.500. NC State finished second with a 196.050, followed by Towson (195.875), George Washington (195.800), UNC (195.275), Pitt (194.350), and LIU (192.725). UNH had to drop out of the meet due to Covid protocols.
> Temple's 196.500 pushes the team to a number 30 ranking in the nation, safely into the NCAA Regional Championships. Full team selections will be announced on Monday at 5:00 p.m. on ncaa.com.
> The Owls will be making their first regional appearance as a team since 1992.

Individual Accolades
> The Owls earned 15 All-Tournament selections at the meet, led by event champions in senior Faith Leary and junior Julianna Roland. Leary won floor with a 9.900, while Roland topped the meet on vault with a school-record tying 9.900.
> Junior Ariana Castrence finished in a tie for second place on vault, going 9.875 to earn first team honors, while sophomore Madison Brooks (9.775) earned a second-team nod.
> Castrence and freshman Cyrena Whalen earn earned All-Tournament first team honors on bars, while junior Nichole Smith was a second team honoree (9.775).
> Senior Delaney Garin earned All-Tournament first team honors on beam (9.875), as did freshman Brooke Donabedian, Roland, and Castrence, all with 9.850's.
> Temple's five counting floor routines each earned All-Tournament honors. Leary was joined on the first team by Roland and seniors Jordyn Oster and Tori Edwards, who all went 9.875, while Donabedian also nabbed first team honors with a 9.850.

Bars
> Starting the competition on its weakest event was no problem for Temple, as the Owls tied their season best with a 48.925.
> Oster led the rotation with a 9.750, while Whalen followed with a 9.825.
> Edwards went 9.750 with Castrence adding a 9.825.
> In the fifth spot, Smith went 9.775, while Brooks rounded out the rotation with a 9.650.

Beam
> It was a school-record tying rotation for the Owls on their second event, as the beam team went 49.225.
> Oster led off with a 9.675, while Donabedian followed with a 9.850.
> Freshman Renee Schugman was solid in the third spot with a 9.800, while Roland continued the hit parade with a 9.850.
> Castrence put up a 9.850 in the fifth spot, while Garin anchored the rotation with a 9.875.

Floor
> Temple was spectacular from top to bottom in the third rotation, breaking the program record with a 49.375 on floor.
> Edwards led off the rotation with a 9.875, while Schugman put up a 9.775 in the second spot.
> Donabedian went 9.850, followed by a 9.875 from Roland.
> Temple closed out the record with a pair of career-high tying marks, as Oster went 9.875 and Leary anchored the rotation with a 9.900.

Vault
> Heading into vault, the Owls needed just a 48.025 to meet the score needed for NCAA regionals qualification and a 48.500 to tie NC State, and Temple did not disappoint. The Cherry and White scored a 48.975 to win the meet.
> Sophomore Taylor Newland led off the rotation with a stuck vault for a 9.725, followed by a 9.725 from Schugman.
> Edwards went 9.625, while Brooks scored a 9.775.
> Temple closed out the rotation with a pair of sticks, as Roland went 9.900 and Castrence wrapped things up with a 9.850.

Up Next
> Temple will await pairings for the 2021 NCAA Championships that will be announced on Monday.
> The NCAA Regional Championships will be held at four sites April 1-3.

2021 EAGL All-Tournament Teams

VAULT ALL-TOURNAMENT
FIRST TEAM
● Julianna Roland, Temple, 9.900
● Ariana Castrence, Temple, 9.850
SECOND TEAM
● Madison Brooks, Temple, 9.775

BARS ALL-TOURNAMENT
FIRST TEAM
● Cyrena Whalen, Temple, 9.825
● Ariana Castrence, Temple, 9.825
SECOND TEAM
● Nichole Smith, Temple, 9.775

BEAM ALL-TOURNAMENT
FIRST TEAM
● Delaney Garin, Temple, 9.875
● Brooke Donabedian, Temple, 9.850
● Julianna Roland, Temple, 9.850
● Ariana Castrence, Temple, 9.850

FLOOR ALL-TOURNAMENT
FIRST TEAM
● Faith Leary, Temple, 9.900
● Tori Edwards, Temple, 9.875
● Julianna Roland, Temple, 9.875
● Jordyn Oster, Temple, 9.875
● Brooke Donabedian, Temple, 9.850