If you’ve never been to a gymnastics event, treat yourself to some college gymnastics in the Triangle area. The season runs from January to March with NCAA championships in April. Both UNC and NC State have pretty good teams.
It’s different than watching the Olympics where little girls rule. These are women. They compete in vault, uneven parallel bars, balance beam and floor exercise.
State hosts events Jan. 25, March 10, March 15 and March 17 but it’s biggest event of the year comes when it hosts its own Valentine’s tournament Feb. 16 against UNC, Pittsburgh, William & Mary, Bowling Green and George Washington. Pack freshman Brittni Watkins recorded a 9.9 on floor recently for the young State team.
UNC, which won its first home meet Sunday, hosts meets Feb. 2, Feb. 22 (against State), March 16 and March 23. The more experienced Tar Heels are led by senior co-captain Elizabeth Durkac who won the all-around title Sunday.
North Carolina took the top spot in its first home meet of the season with a score of 194.500, defeating both William & Mary and George Washington in Carmichael Arena. William & Mary finished second with a score of 192.925, while George Washington placed third with a total of 192.475.
Durkac won the all-around title with a combined score of 39.300, after placing first in both the vault and uneven bars. The Yorktown, Va., native also finished second on the balance beam and the floor exercise. Freshman Josselyn Mackey rounded out the Tar Heels’ top performers, finishing seventh with a combined score of 37.350.
“Overall I was pleased for the team that they had so much energy and enthusiasm,” head coach Derek Galvin said. “The overall performance was stronger than last weekend, and Elizabeth Durkac just looked fantastic. Every class – the seniors, the juniors, the sophomores, the freshmen – all contributed well.”
The Tar Heels began the meet with a yet-again strong performance on the vault, where Durkac totaled a 9.800 and won the event. Not far behind, freshmen Sarah Peterson and Lexi Cappalli tied for third place in the event with scores of 9.750 in their first home meet as Tar Heels. Redshirt junior Michelle Ikoma earned a 9.700, and fellow redshirt junior Meredith Magjuka added a 9.675, just ahead of Mackey who totaled a 9.600.
UNC then moved on to the bars, where Durkac again led North Carolina and the competition – this time with a 9.850. Junior Emily Cornwell finished just behind Durkac with a 9.800, which placed her in third for the meet. Peterson and sophomore Haley Watts totaled scores of 9.775, and Cappalli added a 9.700 to the Tar Heels’ effort. Mackey rounded out UNC’s score with a 9.275.
On the beam Durkac once more was North Carolina’s standout athlete, totaling a score of 9.825. Watts added a 9.775, while Mackey and sophomore Janell Sargent both scored a 9.750. Magjuka earned a 9.675, and senior co-captain Maura Masatsugu added a 9.300.
For the floor exercise Durkac earned a 9.825 to top the Tar Heels. Watts and Ikoma finished just behind her with scores of 9.775, which tied the pair for third in the meet. Magjuka added a 9.750, while Cappalli finished with a 9.025 and Mackey totaled an 8.725.
Galvin said he was particularly impressed with the freshmen class, which competed in Carmichael for the first time in front of a crowd of 2,823 people.
“This was the first home meet for the freshmen, and they were probably a little bit nervous competing in front of friends and family, but they did a good job,” Galvin said.
North Carolina moves on to face a conference opponent next Saturday, when the Tar Heels compete against Maryland in College Park, Md., at 7 p.m.