Gymnastics With Two Meets on the Road to Start 2024

PHILADELPHIA - The Owls' Gymnastics team will be on the road to start the 2024 season with a pair of meets, traveling across the city to the University of Penn on Friday, Jan. 5 at 6 p.m. and then to Morgantown, W.V. on Sunday, Jan. 7. at 2 p.m. Both meets will be available on ESPN+.

ROAD TO THE NATIONALS
Of the four events in 2023, Temple was excellent on the floor exercise, earning an NQS of 49.180, which was good for third in the Northeast Region, tying with Pitt. The other NQS national scores included Vault-48.955 (45th), Bars-48.940 (46th), Beam-48.950(46th).

VAULT
Temple will see a new vault lineup in 2024. Just two Owl returners saw action in eight more meets a season ago. Senior Renee Schugman competed on the vault eight times in 2023 averaging 9.705. Fellow senior Mackenzie Aresta competed in all 13 meets for Temple averaging a 9.635. On March 2 during Alumni Day, Aresta scored a career-high 9.825.

BARS
Sarah Stallings returns as Temple's top performer on the bars for 2024. A season ago, Stallings earned All-EAGL Second Team after scoring 9.8 or better in 11 of the 13 meets and earning a 9.813 NQS. The junior earned four victories, including a career-high 9.9 on Feb. 19 at NC State.

BEAM
Brooke Donabedian and Madison Dorunda were consistent performers on the beam in 2023. Both were named All-EAGL and EAGL All-Tournament Team.

Donabedian earned a 9.850 NQS while picking up four victories and earning a career-high 9.9 on two occasions. Dorunda picked up a victory last season and earned a NQS of 9.806. The junior had a good run to end 2023 as she scored at least a 9.8 or better in the last 10 meets.

FLOOR
Statistically speaking, Brooke Donabedian had a team-high five wins on the floor a season ago where she scored a 9.9 or better each time out. On March 5, she tied her own school record with a 9.950. Fellow floormate, Renee Schugman had a pair of wins on the floor, also scoring a 9.9 or better each time, including a career-high 9.925 on Feb. 19.

Donabedian and Schugman were invited to compete at NCAA Regional in Raleigh, N.C. on the floor where they both scored 9.825 tying for 18th overall.

ALL-AROUND
With the loss of 2023 freshman Ashley Glynn, Hannah Stallings returns as the most experienced Temple gymnast competing in the all-around. Last season, Stallings earned one all-around crown (at UNH - Jan. 15). Stallings has five other wins in her career, including Jan. 23, 2022 at New Hampshire where she tied the fifth best mark in school history when she scored 39.275.

SCOUTING PENN
Earlier this month, The University of Pennsylvania gymnastics team was picked first in the Gymnastics East Conference (GEC) Preseason Poll. Penn has won each of the last two GEC regular-season and championship team titles since the conference began action prior to the 2022 campaign. Led by 2023 GEC Coach of the Year Kirsten Becker, the Quakers return five first-team All-GEC selections from last year including Kiersten Belkoff, Sara Kenefick, Kristen Kuhn, Marissa Lassiter and Campbell Marr. Notably, Lassiter was also named GEC Newcomer of the Year.

SCOUTING PITT
Pitt also features a new head coach this upcoming season. Casey Jo McPherson enters her first season as the Panthers leader after spending the last 10 seasons at the University of Missouri. Pitt comes into the season after a 2023 that finished in fifth place of the EAGL. Jah'liyah Bedminster, Reyna Garvey, and Emily Todd found themselves on 2024's Innaugural AAC Preseason Watch List. Notably, Garvey earned 2024 All-EAGL First-Team on beam and Second-Team on the all-around.

SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State returns a pair of NCAA Championship individual competitors, including Cassidy Rushlow and All-American Ava Piedrahita. Isabella Salcedo and Kalea McElligott were named Big 10 gymnasts to watch for 2024 earlier this month. The Lions finished the 2023 regular season with a 15-17 record and a No. 25 ranking in the RoadToNationals poll. PSU concluded the team portion of their season in the semifinals of the Pitt Regional, earning 196.825.

SCOUTING WEST VIRGINIA
WVU earned third place during the Big 12 Championships in 2023. The Mountaineers moved to NCAA Regional competition at Pitt after scoring the No. 30 NQS of 196.515 nationally. West Virginia finished in fourth place in session one where it scored a 195.850 against Cal, Michigan State, and Western Michigan.

For complete coverage of Temple gymnastics, follow the Owls on social media @TUWG (Twitter), facebook.com/ TempleWGymnastics (Facebook), @templegymnastics (Instagram), or visit the official home of Temple University Athletics at owlsports.com and on TikTok @templeowls.

Gymnastics With Two Meets on the Road to Start 2024

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Players Mentioned

Mackenzie Aresta

Brooke Donabedian

Madison Dorunda

Ashley Glynn

Renee Schugman

Hannah Stallings

Sarah Stallings

Temple University Athletics