The TWU Gymnastics team came out on top over the weekend quad meet at Denton’s Kitty Magee Arena, scoring a 194.300 in their best performance of the season.
Sunday, Jan. 27, the Pioneers faced off against three rivals in the first home-based quad meet of the season. Centenary College, the University of Wisconsin-Stout and the University of Wisconsin La Crosse fell short, allowing TWU to take home its biggest win of 2019 so far.
In a series of record-setting firsts, the Pioneers demonstrated their drive to best the competition, giving redeeming performances after last weekend’s losses. Senior and speech pathology major Erin Alderman tied a meet-high score of 9.875 on Beam and 9.850 on Floor, tying a career-high. Fellow senior Jenna Cashmore, a pre-occupational therapy major, scored a chart-topping career-high of 9.850.
Junior health studies major Bria Northrop captured another All-Around win with a score of 39.025, making this her third award of the season.
In an interview before Sunday’s meet, gymnasts Northrop, freshman biology major Isabel Goyco, and junior criminal justice major Hunter Vincent discussed the Pioneers’ outlook on the season so far.
“It’s definitely a whole different team because we did graduate so many last year and we have so many freshmen, but they’re doing a really good job of coming in, learning what they need to do and everything,” Vincent said of the Pioneers’ current lineup.
“Coming in as a freshman it’s a whole new experience, but it’s been a ton of fun,” Goyco said. “It’s been really, really great coming into a team who already is such a base and support for the freshman.”
Although the team got off to a rocky start this season, this Friday’s win and Northrop’s performance could indicate a turning point for the Pioneers.
Northrop attributed her recent successes winning All-Around and MIC Gymnast of the Week to a team effort and, asked about her plans to carry that momentum into the season, emphasized concentrating on the means to reach the end.
“Just staying in the moment – one meet at a time, one event at a time – and then staying together as a team,” Northrop said of maintaining drive.
Vincent echoed Northrop’s focus on team goals to achieve individual success.
“Just how our team works, it’s more team-goals wise,” Vincent said. “We want to be together and show our passion for everything that we’re doing and represent what this program and this team is really all about.”
Looking ahead, the team said they would continue to focus on immediate aims to foster long-term achievement.
“Right now, we’re taking it one meet at a time,” Vincent said. “We’re setting meet goals…rather than just focusing on winning nationals again. That’s obviously always going to be in the back of our minds but, in order to do that, we need to get better each day as a team.”
Visit the TWU athletics website for information on upcoming meets.
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