Tar Heels Capture EAGL Championship

Saturday, March 27

Durham, N.H.

2:00 PM

North Carolina

EAGL Championships

March 27, 2010 | Women's Gymnastics

By: UNC Athletic Communications

March 27, 2010

2010 EAGL Results (pdf)

Durham, N.H. - The University of North Carolina gymnastics team began 2010 with the goal of winning the East Atlantic Gymnastics League Championship. They achieved that goal on Saturday, scoring a 196.025 to capture the league title. A different gymnast had the highest Carolina score on each event, as the program's fourth EAGL championship was truly a team effort.

"I am just so proud of the team. These young ladies have worked really hard these past few weeks," said Derek Galvin, who was honored as the 2010 EAGL Coach of the Year. "We had a turning point at the Maryland meet and then at the Rutgers meet it started to look like we really had a shot of doing something very special this year. These young ladies trusted in each other, they trusted in the coaching staff and they put themselves completely out there."

Carolina began the meet by going six-for-six on balance beam and scoring a 48.900 to tie their highest team-total of the season on the event. Senior Christine Nguyen led Carolina with a 9.875 and won the event title. Senior Tina Jacob, who was named team MVP at the EAGL banquet, recorded a 9.825 to place third and sophomore Morgan Evans posted a 9.800 for sixth place. Senior Kara Wright placed 13th after she scored a 9.725 and junior Krista Jasper took 18th with a 9.675. Freshman Maura Masatsugu recorded a 9.625 for 28th place.

The Tar Heels continued to perform well on their second event, scoring a 49.000 on floor exercise. Wright led the Tar Heels on floor with a 9.875 to capture third place and Nguyen earned fifth place with a 9.850. Sophomore Taylor Brown and Evans tied for sixth place with 9.800 and junior Karli Jones recorded a 9.675 for 35th place. Freshman Michelle Ikoma placed 46th after she scored a 9.125.

The Tar Heels scored a 48.900 on vault after sophomore Zoya Johnson anchored the event with a 9.900 to capture a piece of the event title. Johnson performed her best vault of the season and tied her personal best on the event. Wright also had a big vault scoring a 9.850 to tie for fourth place. Ikoma posted a 9.750 for 25th place and Evans recorded a 9.725 to place 31st. Nguyen placed 36th after she scored a 9.675 and Jones scored a 9.500 for 43rd place.

The Tar Heels entered the final event .100 behind the University of New Hampshire, but scored a 49.225 on uneven bars to capture the title. Evans led the Tar Heels with a 9.900 for first place and recorded a new personal best. Wright scored a 9.875 to place second. Johnson and freshman Elizabeth Durkac tied for seventh place after both scored a 9.825. Durkac tied her personal best on uneven bars. Nguyen posted a 9.800 for 15th place and Jasper scored a 9.750 for 21st place.

"I wanted the team to win EAGL so badly," Wright said. "We all wanted this so much and after the year we had, to finally be able to put it all together in a meet that really matters, it's more than any of us could have asked for. It's the best feeling in the world right now."

In all-around competition all three Carolina all-around competitors broke 39.000. Wright captured a share of first place with a 39.325, tying the personal best she set in her final home meet. Evans set a new personal best in all-around, scoring a 39.225 to place fourth. Nguyen scored a 39.200 to place fifth in the all-around.

"I am so happy for them that they get to enjoy this feeling, the satisfaction of working hard for a common goal and just committing themselves to doing their very best. And that's what they did today," Galvin said. "They put everything out there and that's the wonderful thing about athletics. When a team comes together and really does it for each other then accomplishments like this can happen. Every single person contributed. Every individual had a role in accomplishing this and I am so happy for all of them. Penny and I couldn't be any prouder. Now we wait to find out what happens with NCAAs, but right now this team is enjoying the elation."

Team Scores
The University of North Carolina- 196.025
NC State- 195.700
West Virginia University- 195.075
The University of New Hampshire- 194.700
University of Pittsburgh- 194.400
The University of Maryland- 194.200
George Washington University- 193.575
Rutgers University- 187.650

Vault- 48.900
1. Zoya Johnson- 9.900
4. Kara Wright- 9.850
25. Michelle Ikoma- 9.750
31. Morgan Evans- 9.725
36. Christine Nguyen- 9.675
43. Karli Jones- 9.500

Uneven Bars- 49.225
1. Morgan Evans- 9.900
2. Kara Wright- 9.875
7. Zoya Johnson- 9.825
7. Elizabeth Durkac- 9.825
15. Christine Nguyen- 9.800
21. Krista Jasper- 9.750

Balance Beam- 48.900
1. Christine Nguyen- 9.875
3. Kristina Jacob- 9.825
6. Morgan Evans- 9.800
13. Kara Wright- 9.725
18. Krista Jasper- 9.675
28. Maura Masatsugu- 9.625

Floor Exercise- 49.000
3. Kara Wright- 9.875
5. Christine Nguyen- 9.850
6. Taylor Brown- 9.800
6. Morgan Evans- 9.800
35. Karli Jones- 9.675
46. Michelle Ikoma- 9.125