Today: Feb 06, 2025

Owls Gymnastics team finishes with their highest score this season in last meet

Gymnastics scored a season high 188.525 in their quad meet last week.

 

Josh Falcone – Staff Writer –

In their last meet on Feb. 2 in Piscataway, N. J. the Southern gymnastics team finished with the highest score of their season, a 188.525 in a quad meeting against the teams from Pittsburgh, Brown, and Rutgers.

The Owls finished fourth behind the meet winner Rutgers who had a 195.00, Pittsburgh with a 194.625, and Brown who finished with a 191.85. The Owls now stand at 5-3 overall on the season.

Owl’s freshman Nicole Pruchnik finished with two top-ten marks individually, scoring a 9.825 in the floor exercise, fifth overall, as well as a 9.75 score on the beam, a team-high score.

Sophomore Meghan Cole finished with a pair of team-high scores, a 9.475 on the bars and a 9.675 on the vault.

Junior Brianna Ecklof placed in the top ten overall in the floor exercise with a score of 9.725.

The mentality of the team when competing is about consistency, concentration, and a sense of easiness.

“We need to be consistent and be doing what we have been doing in practice,” Ecklof said.

Cole echoed that sentiment, “I think as a team we need to concentrate on hitting four for four [in the events] and each of us making our teams instead of just one person, the next person, and so on.”

Pruchnik said that having fun when competing is important.

“I think we always want to think of having fun too,” she said. “Because you always perform better when you are having fun, you are not as stressed out. It’s just like everything flows.”

Going forward the team hopes to continue the strong start to their season, Coach Jerry Nelson said the team has constantly improved and that’s what he wants to see from them in the future.

“I’m hoping to see them continue to improve, to maximize their potential,” he said.

Nelson said the big thing for the team is hit sets, with the six girls competing in the event performing with great accuracy.

“The closer we get to all six hitting their routines,” Nelson said, “will maximize our school, so that’s where we are heading.”

Ecklof said the number one goal for the team hasn’t changed all season.

“Our number one goal is to make Nationals as a team,” she said. “And most importantly, have fun while doing it.”

Ecklof said that although sometimes the team members’ scores are not as good as they planned as long as the team does the best they can and the coaches understand that, then it is a good meet for the team.

Gymnastics scored a season high 188.525 in their quad meet last week.
Gymnastics scored a season high 188.525 in their quad meet last week.

Pruchnik said as the season moves along the team needs to take it one step at a time.

“After every meet, you learn your strengths and you learn your weaknesses,” she said. “And you just go into the next meet trying to fix it.”

Cole agreed with Pruchnik and added that the team can cheer each other on, be positive, and supportive of one another.

“Whatever happens, happens,” she said. “But we are trying to make it to Nationals as a team if we don’t then as far as individually, try to get as many girls qualified as we can.”

Nelson said the team has stayed competitive thus far but reiterated that progress is important for the team the rest of the way.

“We are in the hunt,” Nelson said. “We are in the mix to qualify for Nationals as a team or individuals. Our scores have been competitive but there is still room for improvement for us.”

The team will face SUNY-Courtland this Saturday in Courtland, N.Y.

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