The West Chester University gymnastics team (14-5) competed against Yale University and Rhode Island College in a tri-meet on Saturday, Feb. 13. After a tremendous effort by the Golden Rams, WCU finished second with a score of 191.125, following the host team, Yale University, who finished with a score of 192.275. Third was Rhode Island College with a 176.325.
Majesta Valentine placed first in the All-Around with a score of 37.775. Valentine placed second on vault scoring a 9.675, placed third on bars with a 9.7, placed seventh on beam with a 9.625, tying teammates Cecelia Lorenzen and Rose Wortman, and third on floor with a score of 9.775.
Selena Swanger placed fourth with a 37.8. Swanger tied for sixth on vault with teammate Sam Engle, with a score of 9.525, tenth on bars with a 9.225, 11th on beam with a 9.525, and seventh on floor also with a 9.525.
Freshman Maia Curry had a spectacular vault contributing to the team vault score, as well as placing third with a score of 9.625. Lindsey Mathis, also a freshman, scored a 9.55, placing fifth.
On bars, Meghan Brannon tied for fifth, scoring a 9.65. Lindsay Knapp and Mathis tied for eighth on bars with a score of 9.3. Knapp tied for third on beam, scoring a 9.65.
On floor, freshman Emily Loughery tied for fourth with a score of 9.65. Wortman placed eighth with a 9.5, and Knapp placed ninth with a 9.475.
On Sunday, Feb. 21, the Golden Rams traveled to Springfield Massachusetts for a competition against the host team, Springfield College. The West Chester University gymnastics team placed first, tying their record high score of 191.825. Springfield College placed second with a score of 186.85. Valentine broke her record all-around score with a 39.075. Valentine placed first on vault and first on bars both with a score of 9.725, first on beam with a 9.8, and first on floor with a 9.825. Swanger placed third in the all-around with a 36.075. Swanger placed second on vault with a 9.675, third on beam with a 9.625, and tied for fourth on floor with a 9.625.
The Lady Rams managed to capture the top four places on vault, with Engle coming in third with a score of 9.625 and Mathis in fourth with a 9.6. Wortman also placed sixth on the event with a 9.525.
Brannon placed third on bars with a 9.625. Teammate Alyssa Hult followed in fourth with a 9.5, and Knapp placed seventh with a score of 9.275.
The Golden Rams managed to also capture the top five places on beam, as well as beating the team beam score for the third time this season with a 48.3.
The line-up was made up of Lorenzen, Wortman, Loughery, Swanger, Knapp, and Valentine.
Knapp placed second with a 9.775, Wortman came in fourth with a 9.575, Lorenzen in fifth with a 9.525, and Loughery in eighth with a score of 9.225.
On floor, Knapp also came in second with a score of 9.725, Loughery in third with a 9.65, Mathis in seventh with a 9.55 and Wortman in ninth with a 9.35.
On Friday, Feb. 26, the Golden Rams traveled to the Philadelphia Convention Center to compete for a greater cause at the Unite 4 Her Pink Invitational, competing in a quad meet against Temple University, Southern Connecticut State University, West Virginia University and Penn State University.
The WCU gymnastics team put their hearts on the floor and scored a 193.475, beating their record team score by a landslide and placing third.
Coming in first was West Virginia University with a 196.225. Second was Penn State University with a 195.675. Fourth was Temple University with a 191.625, and fifth was Southern Connecticut State University with a 188.7.
The team score being just one of the many records broken and new high scores set at the Pink Invitational, the Lady Rams also broke the vault record, scoring 48.425, as well as the bar record for the second time this season, scoring a 48.25.
Valentine managed to break her all-around score for the second time this season. Scoring a 39.2, Valentine placed second out of eight all-arounders. Valentine also placed fourth on vault, scoring a 9.85, a personal high score, tenth on bars with a 9.75, and tenth on beam with a 9.725, and tied for third place on floor with a 9.875, tying her personal high score on the event.
The record-breaking vault lineup consisted of Wortman, Mathis, Engle, Swanger, Curry, and Valentine. Mathis scored a 9.6, Engle scored a 9.625, while Swanger and Curry both scored a 9.675.
The line-up that succeeded in defeating the team bar score for a second time this season included Mathis, freshman Myranda Marshall, Swanger, Hult, Valentine and Brannon. Mathis and Swanger both scored a solid 9.55. Marshall had an amazing routine, scoring a 9.6, and Brannon scored a 9.8, placing eighth.
On beam, Loughery set a personal best on the event, scoring a 9.8 with a beautiful routine. Close behind was Knapp with another amazing routine, scoring a 9.775, and Valentine scoring a 9.725.
With a few minor mishaps on floor, Mathis started strong, scoring a 9.65. Kristin Torres had an amazing routine, scoring 9.7, a personal high score. Swanger scored a 9.5, and Loughery scored a 9.625. Despite a minor slip up, Knapp skillfully recovered leading her to score a remarkable 9.8, which is a new personal high score. Valentine had a beautiful entertaining routine and scored a 9.875.
The Golden Rams will travel to Rutgers University on Sunday, March 6 to compete in a quad meet. Joining WCU and Rutgers will be Towson University and Southern Connecticut State University.
Meghan Chan is a second-year student. She can be reached at MC827361@wcupa.edu.