University of North Carolina Athletics
Gymnastics Spotlight: Elizabeth Lindley
April 21, 2011 | Women's Gymnastics
April 21, 2011
Junior Elizabeth Lindley, from Burlington, N.C., has been one of the strongest leaders for Carolina gymnastics in the 2011 season. She was named a team captain at the beginning of the season and has quietly been leading her teammates ever since. Lindley has also proved herself outside of the gym as an EAGL All-Academic selection for each of her three years here at Carolina.
Head Coach Derek Galvin on Lindley: Elizabeth is very effective. She is not a particularly outspoken or vocal leader but she is very effective because everyone on the team respects her. She is great at making sure the details are being taken care of and she is also one of the hardest workers on the team. She has dealt with some challenges because of injuries she has had in the past but it doesn't deter her in practice. She is someone we knew coming into this year would be effective as a leader because of the way her teammates respect her. She has trained on bars and on beam, so she is one of those people who gives us depth in the line up.
TarHeelBlue.com: What did winning the EAGL Championship mean to you and your teammates?
Elizabeth Lindley: It was amazing. We worked so hard all year leading up to this meet, and it was awesome to see everything finally come together the way we knew that it could. Everyone did the best they could for each other, we hit 24 for 24 routines, and it was really exciting to come out with the win.
THB.com: Can you talk about winning it now two years in a row coming in as an underdog?
EL: It was great to come in as an underdog and win the EAGL Championship again this year because the other teams didn't expect it from us, but for us, we weren't concerned about the rankings at all. We knew what we were capable of accomplishing as a team, and everyone would have given their absolute best no matter if we were ranked first or last coming in to the meet.
THB.com: You were named to the All-Academic team, as well as 9 of your teammates, how do academics play a role on this team?
EL: Academics are very important to our team. In addition to our gymnastics-related goals, we set academic goals for the team at the beginning of the year as well, like having the highest GPA of any team at UNC. It is important for us to represent both parts of the title “student-athlete.”
THB.com: You are a captain on this team; can you talk about what that role has been like for you?
EL: I have absolutely loved being a team captain because this is such an incredible group of girls. The level of cohesiveness that we developed this year made it very easy to focus everyone on a common goal, and I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to lead this team.
THB.com: In your bio you said that you want to be on survivor one day, why?
EL: It would be so much fun! Survivor has been my favorite show since the very first season, and I think it would be such an awesome challenge to take on. Who wouldn't want to be left on an island with complete strangers and no food or shelter for 39 days?
THB.com: What is the best thing about being a UNC athlete?
EL: Having the opportunity to be a part of this amazing team and the whole athletic community that we have at UNC. All the sports at Carolina are capable of winning Conference or even National titles every year, and it's so exciting to be a part of that environment.
THB.com: There was a record attendance for Carolina Gymnastics at the meet against Pittsburgh, what does the fan's support mean to you and the team?
EL: The support means so much to us because we want as many people as possible to know about Carolina Gymnastics. Penny started a facebook page for the team back in the fall, and it's been so neat to watch the fan base grow throughout the year. The more people we have in Carmichael Arena for our meets, the more exciting the atmosphere becomes for both the gymnasts and the fans.
THB.com: What has been your favorite moment so far with this team?
EL: My favorite moment with this team would probably be winning EAGL this year. I don't think any of us have ever cheered as loud as we did at that meet, and it was truly a team effort because everyone was competing for each other rather them themselves. It was almost like everyone on the team did all 24 routines that day, and I will never forget what it felt like for us to achieve that goal.
THB.com: Where do you see this team going next season?
EL: We're going as a team to Duluth, Georgia for the NCAA National Championships!
THB.com: What will you work on in the off-season?
EL: I really like to run, but it's hard on my body to run a lot during season while we're training. So during the summer I will do a lot of running and swimming to work on endurance, as well as rehab for minor aches and pains, and our strength training program from Eric.
THB.com: What do you enjoy doing when not in the gym?
EL: When I'm not in the gym, I enjoy being involved with FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), running, playing volleyball, reading books that aren't for school, and going to other sporting events.
THB.com: What is your favorite place in Chapel Hill?
EL: Chapel Hill is such a wonderful place to go to school; I don't think I could choose just one. But a few of my favorite places to be are Yopo, Top of the Hill, Boshamer Stadium, inside the packed Dean Dome, and on Franklin Street after a big basketball win.
THB.com: What is your favorite class at UNC and why?
EL: My favorite class was Human Anatomy with Dr. Zinder. I really like learning about the body, especially after going through injuries with gymnastics, and Dr. Zinder was wonderful and made the subject even more fun and interesting.
Players Mentioned
