Golden Rams Unite To Shatter Multiple Records

Meet Results

PHILADELPHIA – Five days after tying the school record of 191.825, West Chester University's women's gymnastics team flipped its way to a new school record of 193.475 in front of a standing room only crowd of 1000-plus at the Philadelphia Convention Center. In addition, West Chester shattered two event records, tied another event record and broke or tied several individual marks.

The five-team Unite 4 Her meet featured three Division I teams. WCU's record-breaking 193.475 finished third overall. No. 23 West Virginia won the meet, scoring a 196.225. No. 26 Penn State scored a 195.675 and finished second. For the second time this season, Division I Temple found itself short of the Golden Rams' effort, scoring a 191.625 and finishing fourth. ECAC Division II rival, Southern Connecticut State, finished fifth with a 188.700. Rankings listed are those of the regional qualifying scoring standards.

Junior Majesta Valentine (Wilmington, De.) continues to shine in the all-around, setting a new WCU all-around mark of 39.200. Valentine's 39.200 finished second of eight girls that qualified for the all-around.

West Chester's magical day began on the vault. With every girl scoring a 9.600 or higher, the Golden Rams set a new vault record of 48.425. Valentine led the way scoring a 9.850. Valentine's mark broke the WCU individual vault record and finished fourth among all gymnasts. Selena Swanger (Gettysburg, Pa.) scored a 9.675 and finished second for the Golden Rams. Freshman Maia Curry (Erdenheim, Pa.) scored a 9.675 and was West Chester's third best.

The Rams then rotated to the uneven bars where they continued their record-breaking night. The top five combined for a 48.250. Leading the WCU gymnasts on the bars was senior Meghan Brannon (Seminole, Fla.). Brannon scored a 9.800. Valentine's 9.750 bar score was second. Freshman Myranda Marshall (Lancaster, Pa.) was third with a 9.600.

Freshman Emily Loughery (Telford, Pa.) set a personal-best beam score of 9.800 and led the Golden Rams to a 48.125 team beam score. Close behind Loughery on the beam was senior Lindsay Knapp (Collegeville, Pa.) with a 9.775. Valentine added a 9.725 on the beam.

Only needing to score a 47.025 in the floor exercise to tie the WCU team record, the Golden Rams decided to do that and more. The gymnasts' 48.675 floor score tied a team record and pushed West Chester to a 193.475 team score. Valentine tied the individual floor record with a score of 9.875. Knapp finished second for the Rams on floor 9.825. Senior Kristen Torres (Paradise, Pa.) scored a 9.700.

West Chester (14-5) returns to action on Sunday, March 6 at Rutgers University. Joining WCU and Rutgers are Towson and Southern Connecticut State. The meet begins at 1:00 p.m.