University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heel Gymnasts Prepare for EAGL Championships
March 23, 2001 | Women's Gymnastics
March 23, 2001
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Setting the Stage
UNC is 11-10 and 3-3 in conference action heading into the EAGL Championships on Saturday at 6 p.m. Hosted by UNC, the meet will be held at the Dean E. Smith Center.
Carolina has competed against some of the top teams in the country this year, including top 10 teams Georgia, Utah and Florida. Carolina has been led by senior Brooke Wilson, seven-time EAGL Gymnast of the Week and 2000 Co-Gymnast of the Year, and juniors Lisa Companioni and Monica Middleton.
A Quick Look at the EAGL
The East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) was founded in 1995 and includes schools from three conferences and six states. Members are Maryland, North Carolina and North Carolina State from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and West Virginia from the Big East Conference, and New Hampshire and Towson from the America East Conference.
In August of 1996, the NCAA welcomed the EAGL as an affiliated member. In each of the past three seasons, an EAGL team has advanced to the NCAA Championship meet.
This year's competition is the sixth annual league championship. The previous five titles have been split between two schools: West Virginia in 1996-98 and NC State in 1999 and 2000.
The 2000 EAGL Championship
The 2000 meet, hosted by the University of Pittsburgh, was the most competitive in the league's brief history. The top four teams were separated by less than one point and NC State came from behind to win its second consecutive crown with a score of 196.000, defeating Pittsburgh (195.275).
UNC at the EAGL
Though still looking for their first team title, the Tar Heels have found plenty of success at past championships. UNC claimed the team title on the balance beam in 1999 and 2000 and Brooke Wilson won the all-around and balance beam titles in 1999. Bolstered by Wilson's success, Carolina made its best team showing in `99, finishing fourth. The Tar Heels finished sixth in 1996, fifth in 1997 and seventh in 1998 and 2000.
A Perfect 10
Senior Brooke Wilson broke her own balance beam record of 9.950 when she scored a perfect 10.0 on balance beam at the Governor's Cup on Feb. 3. It was Carolina's first perfect 10.0 on any event and was the EAGL's first perfect 10.0 of the 2001 season. After this spectacular performance Wilson received her second EAGL Gymnast of the Week honor of the 2001 season and sixth of her career.
Wilson's Legacy
Wilson holds four of the five school individual records. She broke two of her own records this year. The first was her perfect 10.0 at the Governor's Cup. The second was her 39.500 all-around score on March 4. Wilson set the uneven bars record of 9.925 set on Feb. 3, 2000 and the floor record of 9.975 set on March 3, 2000.
During the 2001 season Wilson received the EAGL Gymnast of the Week honor three times. The first was for her performance against William & Mary where she placed first in the all-around with a 39.375. Her second recognition was after the Governor's Cup where she scored the first perfect 10.0 of the 2001 EAGL season and the third was on March 6 when she set the school record in the all-around with a 39.500. Wilson has been named EAGL Gymnast of the Week seven times in her Carolina career.
In EAGL Championship competition Wilson has claimed individual titles in the all-around and balance beam (1999) and was selected 2000 Co-Gymnast of the Year.
Wilson is a three-time NCAA Regional qualifier. Wilson finished fourth in the all-around at the 2000 NCAA Regionals and finished ninth in the all-around and was second alternate for NCAA National Championships in 1999.
Upper Class Contributions
Junior Lisa Companioni has had a spectacular season. Companioni has set personal bests in every event. Her highest finish in the all-around was a 38.950 against William & Mary. Junior Monica Middleton set personal bests on four events. Middleton's highest all-around score was against on March 4 (39.175).
Sophomores Fritzie Cathcart and Natalie Halbach have added to the depth of the Carolina team. Cathcart has set personal bests on every event. Her highest all-around finish was placing fourth with a 38.525 against William & Mary. Halbach has competed on vault and balance beam and set a personal best of 9.950 on beam.
Freshmen Contributions
Freshmen Maddy Curley and Skylar Inman worked their way into the lineup early in the season. Curley set personal bests in every event and was one of the Tar Heels' top finishers in the all around all season. Curley placed second with a 38.700 against top-ranked Georgia. Inman competed on bars and set a personal best of 9.825 in back-to-back competitions.
Academic Excellence
Eight Tar Heels - including all five of the team's freshmen - earned spots on the 2001 EAGL All-Academic team.
Senior Brooke Wilson (3.57) and sophomores Anne Chaffee (3.87) and Natalie Halbach (3.02) earned All-Academic team honors for the second time in their Carolina careers. The five UNC freshmen named to the team were Maddy Curly (3.89), Boo Donoho (3.58), Skylar Inman (3.10), Amanda Smith (3.01) and Joany Snider (3.54).
A total of 69 student-athletes were named to the EAGL team, which requires a 3.0 GPA or better over the previous two semesters.
