Dekanoidze, Knower Win As Gymnastics Places Third At EAGL Championships

Saturday, March 18

Durham, NH

TBA

North Carolina

EAGL Championships

Photo by: Andrew Yourell

Dekanoidze, Knower Win As Gymnastics Places Third At EAGL Championships

March 18, 2023 | Women's Gymnastics

Complete Results EAGL All-Tournament

DURHAM, N.H. – Lali Dekanoidze and Julia Knower both won individual events as the University of North Carolina gymnastics team finished third overall at the 2023 East Atlantic Gymnastics League Championships in Durham, New Hampshire, on Saturday night.

Dekanoidze was the outright champion on bars with a score of 9.950 while Knower was part of a three-way tie for first on floor at 9.900. Dekanoidze was named the EAGL Co-Specialist of the Year at the end of the meet, which was held in the Whittemore Center on UNH's campus.

The Tar Heels finished third out of eight teams with a score of 196.350, its third-highest tally of the year. It's the program's highest finish at the championship meet since 2011.

EAGL Championship Team Standings
1. Towson - 196.500
2. NC State - 196.425
3. North Carolina - 196.350
4. New Hampshire - 195.400
5. Temple - 194.925
6. George Washington - 194.525
7. LIU - 194.275
8. Pitt - 194.225

Rotation One: Bars (49.300)
Dekanoidze was crowned EAGL champion on bars after her winning score of 9.950, with no other competitor scoring above 9.900. The sophomore, who owns the school record at 9.975, has produced nine scores of 9.900+ this season.

Right behind her in a tie for second was Isabelle Schaefer at 9.000 for the highest EAGL finish of her career. Also having routines that scored for Carolina were Elizabeth Culton (9.850), Gwen Fink (9.825) and Jamie Shearer (9.775).

Rotation Two: Beam (49.175)
With a score of 9.900 to tie for fourth place overall, Culton had UNC's highest finish on beam followed by a season-best for Hallie Thompson at 9.875. Fink (9.825), Schulze (9.800) and Knower (9.775) also contributed to UNC's team score.

North Carolina matched its highest score of the season on beam at 49.175, which was first done Feb. 12.

Rotation Three: Floor (48.800)
Finding herself on top of the podium on floor as an EAGL champion was Knower, whose score of 9.900 solidified the sophomore's first conference crown. It marked her seventh routine of 9.900+ this season.

Rounding out the Tar Heel scorers on the third rotation were Kaya Forbes (9.850), Culton (9.800), Bri Greenlow (9.675) and Hannah Nam (9.575).

Rotation Four: Vault (49.075)
Dekanoidze and Paige Prejean both led the way for the Tar Heels on vault to tie for fourth with scores of 9.850, which matched Prejean's career best. Also scoring for North Carolina on its final rotation was Forbes (9.825), Knower (9.800) and Schaefer (9.750).

Next Up
The Tar Heels now await their postseason fate, as the 2023 NCAA Gymnastics Selection Show will be held on Monday, March 20, at noon ET on NCAA.com.

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