University of North Carolina Athletics
Gymnastics Releases 2018 Schedule
October 10, 2017 | Women's Gymnastics
CHAPEL HILL — University of North Carolina gymnastics head coach Derek Galvin released his squad's schedule for the upcoming season on Tuesday, exactly three months and three days shy of their 2018 season opener. With only four home competitions, Carolina will face a tough schedule full of great opponents and lots of travel for their six road meets.
Last season, Carolina finished 11-4 overall competing against some of the nation's finest from Florida, UCLA, Georgia, and Missouri. Despite the cancellation of one quad meet due to weather, North Carolina's squad managed to hit its stride early in the season and took first place in six consecutive meets including two quad competitions at NC State and Towson.
Midway through the season, the Tar Heels earned a season-high score of 195.875 in their own Carmichael Arena when the team went head-to-head against New Hampshire. Following some fierce performances to end the regular season in UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, UNC prepped themselves for the upcoming East Atlantic Gymnastics League Championship in Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. The Tar Heels scored a 194.525 to finish fourth, trailing George Washington (196.275), New Hampshire (195.075) and NC State (194.875), while besting Pittsburgh (194.100) and Towson (193.225).Â
Advancing to the NCAA Gainesville Regional at the end of the regular season, three Carolina gymnasts competed in the all-around competition. Returning seniors Madison Nettles and Morgan Lane earned eighth place and 16th place respectively with scores of 38.975 and 38.500 and now-sophomore Emma Marchese posted 38.575 for 15th place. While many Tar Heels earned top 15 scores in the individual events, Lane received the highest individual ranking for her performance on floor exercise, posting a score of 9.850 to earn herself a spot in a five-way tie for sixth. Carolina (194.425) placed fifth out of the six competing universities — Florida (197.125), Georgia (196.775), Missouri (196.100), Penn State (195.325) and New Hampshire (194.175)
Carolina hopes to advance to the NCAA Regional competition again this season, but before they can look to the tournament time, the Tar Heels must push through their difficult regular season schedule. With 15 returning competitors, freshmen Lily Dean, Rylie Dewhurst, and Lauren Graham will have plenty of teammates and experienced coaches to help them develop their skills over the course of their first collegiate season.
As a sophomore-heavy squad led by seniors Lane, Hedelund, Nettles, and Lauren Weisel, who will be looking to finish their NCAA careers with a bang, the Tar Heels could prove a force to be reckoned with if standouts like Khazia Hislop and Mikayla Robinson return ready to roll.
In the first four meets of the 2017-18 season, Carolina will face NC State, Temple, Towson and New Hampshire, all of whom the Tar Heels defeated in last year's regular season competition. Carolina gymnastics will then travel on Feb. 11 to Norman, Okla., where they will compete against the University of Oklahoma, the alma mater of first-year assistant coach Taylor Spears and the two-time defending national champion.
Carolina will return to Chapel Hill for an action packed weekend with a quad meet against NC State, Michigan, and Brown University and a head-to-head battle again versus Brown two days later. Michigan was ranked seventh heading into last year's NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship tournament.
The elite action does not stop there for the Tar Heels. Carolina will head down south to face off against Alabama, which placed sixth in last year's NCAA Championships meet in St. Louis, Mo. Carolina will head out on the road again the following weekend, this time traveling to Tucson, Ariz., for a quad meet against the University of Arizona, San Jose State and the Air Force Academy. Carolina will close out the regular season at home against Pittsburgh before heading up to Towson, Md., for the 2018 EAGL Championships.
With at least three meets against top-10Â competitors, Carolina gymnastics has a demanding yet exciting season ahead.
