University of North Carolina Athletics
Sunday, December 3
Chapel Hill, NC
5 p.m. ET
North Carolina
vs
Blue & White Intrasquad
Photo by: Andy Mead/UNC Athletics
Gymnastics Ready To Kick Off Inaugural ACC Season
December 1, 2023 | Women's Gymnastics
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Last year was one for the history books for the University of North Carolina gymnastics team, with the Tar Heels eager to build upon the successful 2023 campaign heading into the upcoming season.
2024 will certainly be an exciting one, as it marks the inaugural season for gymnastics in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The ACC announced on June 17, 2021, that it would sponsor women's gymnastics as the league's 28th sport. UNC is joined by Clemson, Pitt and NC State in the conference.
Fans can get their first look at Carolina's 2024 squad on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 5:00 p.m. ET for the annual Blue & White Intrasquad at Carmichael Arena. Admission is free and there will be a meet-the-team event exclusively for season ticket holders following the conclusion of the meet.
Season tickets can be purchased here. Single-meet tickets will go on sale Dec. 11. The full 2024 schedule can be found here.
The 2024 home opener at Carmichael Arena is slated for Friday, Jan. 5, featuring a quad meet with Ball State, Rutgers and Utah State. UNC recorded its highest home-opener score (196.225) in program history in 2023 and set a new attendance record (4,125) during the first home meet in 2022 – and the Tar Heels are confident to break both records once again.
Last season, the Tar Heels earned their second consecutive regional berth to the NCAA Championships, both under head coach Danna Durante. Now in her third season at the helm, Durante is joined by longtime assistant coach Marie Denick as well as new assistant coaches Mackenzie Caquatto-Jaworski and Sami Durante.
Julia Knower (all-around) and Lali Dekanoidze (vault, bars) also qualified as specialists for the 2023 NCAA Regionals in Denver. It was the second year in a row the then-sophomore duo punched individual tickets to regionals.
Prior to its NCAA postseason run, UNC was crowned the outright East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) regular season champion for the second straight year after posting an undefeated 6-0 record against conference foes. Carolina finished third in its last-ever EAGL Championship, its highest finish since 2011.
Additionally, Dekanoidze was named the EAGL Co-Specialist of the Year. She was the conference champion on bars as Knower brought home gold on floor. Fifteen Tar Heels garnered EAGL All-Tournament honors including 11 on the first team, while 10 gymnasts earned all-conference selections with six receiving a first-team nod.
Following her sensational sophomore season, Dekanoidze was named WCGA Regular Season First Team All-America on bars. Dekanoidze, whose impressive 9.975 set a new program record for bars, became the fifth Tar Heel to ever earn an All-America bid.
Furthermore, the Tar Heels registered 32 rotations of 49.000+, seven more than in 2022. UNC's season-best 49.425 total score on bars was the highest amongst all EAGL teams, and its bars lineup outscored opponents in 11 straight meets. Carolina also received its highest national preseason ranking (No. 27) in 2023.
While Carolina boasts ample experience with its returning gymnasts, the team has added plenty of talent with its five newcomers: first-years Elly King, Neve King, Jessica Naranjo, Molly Neinstein and Camryn Rueda. In total, UNC's roster features five freshmen, four sophomores, five juniors, four seniors and one graduate student with 10 different states represented, highlighted by five in-staters.
Just as they excel on the mats, Carolina gymnasts also experienced success in the classroom last year. Elizabeth Culton collected several accolades during her senior year: She was the ACC Jim & Pat Thacker Scholarship Award winner, named a UNC Athletic Director Scholar-Athlete and was tabbed to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District At Large squad.
Including Culton, 13 gymnasts picked up WCGA Scholastic All-America honors. Nineteen were named to both the ACC Academic Honor Roll and EAGL All-Scholastic Team. Culton was also a nominee for the prestigious AAI Award, given to the nation's top collegiate gymnast.
More information about ACC Gymnastics can be found here.
Stay up to date with Carolina Gymnastics by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
2024 will certainly be an exciting one, as it marks the inaugural season for gymnastics in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The ACC announced on June 17, 2021, that it would sponsor women's gymnastics as the league's 28th sport. UNC is joined by Clemson, Pitt and NC State in the conference.
Fans can get their first look at Carolina's 2024 squad on Sunday, Dec. 3, at 5:00 p.m. ET for the annual Blue & White Intrasquad at Carmichael Arena. Admission is free and there will be a meet-the-team event exclusively for season ticket holders following the conclusion of the meet.
Season tickets can be purchased here. Single-meet tickets will go on sale Dec. 11. The full 2024 schedule can be found here.
The 2024 home opener at Carmichael Arena is slated for Friday, Jan. 5, featuring a quad meet with Ball State, Rutgers and Utah State. UNC recorded its highest home-opener score (196.225) in program history in 2023 and set a new attendance record (4,125) during the first home meet in 2022 – and the Tar Heels are confident to break both records once again.
Last season, the Tar Heels earned their second consecutive regional berth to the NCAA Championships, both under head coach Danna Durante. Now in her third season at the helm, Durante is joined by longtime assistant coach Marie Denick as well as new assistant coaches Mackenzie Caquatto-Jaworski and Sami Durante.
Julia Knower (all-around) and Lali Dekanoidze (vault, bars) also qualified as specialists for the 2023 NCAA Regionals in Denver. It was the second year in a row the then-sophomore duo punched individual tickets to regionals.
Prior to its NCAA postseason run, UNC was crowned the outright East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) regular season champion for the second straight year after posting an undefeated 6-0 record against conference foes. Carolina finished third in its last-ever EAGL Championship, its highest finish since 2011.
Additionally, Dekanoidze was named the EAGL Co-Specialist of the Year. She was the conference champion on bars as Knower brought home gold on floor. Fifteen Tar Heels garnered EAGL All-Tournament honors including 11 on the first team, while 10 gymnasts earned all-conference selections with six receiving a first-team nod.
Following her sensational sophomore season, Dekanoidze was named WCGA Regular Season First Team All-America on bars. Dekanoidze, whose impressive 9.975 set a new program record for bars, became the fifth Tar Heel to ever earn an All-America bid.
Furthermore, the Tar Heels registered 32 rotations of 49.000+, seven more than in 2022. UNC's season-best 49.425 total score on bars was the highest amongst all EAGL teams, and its bars lineup outscored opponents in 11 straight meets. Carolina also received its highest national preseason ranking (No. 27) in 2023.
While Carolina boasts ample experience with its returning gymnasts, the team has added plenty of talent with its five newcomers: first-years Elly King, Neve King, Jessica Naranjo, Molly Neinstein and Camryn Rueda. In total, UNC's roster features five freshmen, four sophomores, five juniors, four seniors and one graduate student with 10 different states represented, highlighted by five in-staters.
Just as they excel on the mats, Carolina gymnasts also experienced success in the classroom last year. Elizabeth Culton collected several accolades during her senior year: She was the ACC Jim & Pat Thacker Scholarship Award winner, named a UNC Athletic Director Scholar-Athlete and was tabbed to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District At Large squad.
Including Culton, 13 gymnasts picked up WCGA Scholastic All-America honors. Nineteen were named to both the ACC Academic Honor Roll and EAGL All-Scholastic Team. Culton was also a nominee for the prestigious AAI Award, given to the nation's top collegiate gymnast.
More information about ACC Gymnastics can be found here.
Stay up to date with Carolina Gymnastics by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
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