Bumpers Named 2006 EAGL Gymnast of the Year

March 24, 2006

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - North Carolina senior gymnast Courtney Bumpers stole the show at the 2006 East Atlantic Gymnastics League Awards Dinner, winning two postseason awards, the EAGL Gymnast of the Year and Outstanding Senior Gymnast. Bumpers was also named first team all-EAGL on vault, uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise, as well as the all-around. She was one of two gymnasts to garner first-team recognition in all four events.

Bumpers, the top-ranked all-around gymnast in the EAGL and the 16th-rated all-arounder in the NCAA, earned gymnast of the year laurels for the second time in her career after taking home the honors in 2004. This is the third year that a UNC gymnast has won the award as Brooke Wilson won it in 2000. This also marks the second straight year that a North Carolina won Outstanding Senior Gymnast and the third overall (Olivia Trusty 2005, Wilson 2000).

Bumpers leads the league on the floor exercise and the balance beam and ranks second on the vault. Her first-team selection on vault, beam and floor are the fourth of her career, while her all-around first-team status is the third and the uneven bars first-team nod is the first of year career.

Teammate Christine Robella was also honored at the awards dinner, marking the third straight year that she was selected as a first-team all-EAGL all-arounder. The junior gymnast also joined Bumpers as a first-team selection on vault, uneven bars, and balance beam. Sophomore Shawna Kelly also received recognition by earning second-team status on the uneven bars.

The EAGL Awards Dinner precedes the 11th-annual EAGL Championship meet, which will be held Saturday, March 25, at Rutgers University's Louis Brown Athletic Center beginning at 6 p.m.

2006 EAST ATLANTIC GYMNASTICS LEAGUE POSTSEASON AWARDS
GYMNAST OF THE YEAR: Courtney Bumpers
OUTSTANDING SENIOR GYMNAST: Courtney Bumpers

Vault
FIRST TEAM
Courtney Bumpers (4)
Christine Robella

UNEVEN BARS
FIRST TEAM
Courtney Bumpers
Christine Robella (2)

SECOND TEAM
Shawna Kelly

BALANCE BEAM
FIRST TEAM
*Courtney Bumpers (4)
Christine Robella

FLOOR EXERCISE
FIRST TEAM
*Courtney Bumpers (4)

SECOND TEAM
Christine Robella

ALL-AROUND
FIRST TEAM
Courtney Bumpers (3)
Christine Robella (3)

* unanimous selection
(2) - second-time first-team selection
(3) - third-time first-team selection
(4) - fourth-time first-team selection