University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heel Gymnasts Hope To Keep Governor's Cup After Saturday's Meet
February 6, 2003 | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 6, 2003
In a North Carolina/Maryland state rivalry, the North Carolina gymnastics team prepares to team up with NC State against Towson and Maryland Saturday, Feb. 8, in the eighth annual Governor's Cup meet. Carolina and NC State, who collectively won the meet last year, hope to keep the Cup for the state of North Carolina for at least another year.
NC State is ranked at the top of the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) and 29th in the nation with an average total score of 193.756. Carolina, ranked fifth in the EAGL, has an average of 193.175 but has recorded a higher season-high score than any of the three teams it will be competing against Saturday.
Towson and Maryland are ranked just behind the Tar Heels, Towson with an average score of 192.619 and Maryland with a 191.806.
After three meets this season and an impressive record of 9-0, Carolina is the only EAGL team left undefeated. NC State holds a record of 4-2. Towson is 7-3, and Maryland is 3-4.
Although Carolina's statistics look very good on paper, Head Coach Derek Galvin admits that the meet will be a tough one to win.
"Rankings and records are fun," said Galvin "but they don't matter at all when it comes to qualifying...The other teams have also done very well this season."
In its last meet on Fri., Jan. 31, the Tar Heels defeated James Madison and William & Mary with a season-high score of 195.275. The team tied the school record for floor exercise, 49.550, set last year at home vs. James Madison and again at the EAGL Championship meet. Junior Anna Wilson earned the school's second-ever 10.0 for her performance on the floor exercise.
Freshman Courtney Bumpers was named as the EAGL Gymnast of the Week after placing first on the balance beam and in the all-around and second on vault, uneven bars and floor exercise. She recorded personal bests in every event. Her all-around score, 39.450, is the second highest in school history.
Sophomore Olivia Trusty was awarded the school's first EAGL Specialist of the Week, an honor started this year for a gymnast who has competed in fewer than three events in a meet. She won the vault with a personal best score of 9.900 and tied Bumpers for second place on floor with a 9.925.
Saturday will be the first time of the season that the Tar Heels will compete against all three teams. In last season's Governor's Cup meet, Carolina lost to Maryland (195.300) and NC State (194.825) but defeated Towson (190.575) with a score of 194.675.
The Tar Heels again triumphed over Towson in their last home meet of the season, 195.100-189.300. Carolina posted a 196.150-195.550 victory over the NC State Wolfpack in the meet following the Towson win, the NC State Invitational. The three teams next met at the EAGL Championships where Carolina finished first with a school record total of 196.425.
The Governor's Cup will take place Saturday evening at 7 p.m. at NC State.
Players Mentioned
