PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (March 22, 2014) – The William and Mary women's gymnastics team claimed a share of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference title as it tied with Brown for the top score at the league's championship hosted by Temple on Saturday afternoon. It marks the fifth time W&M has earned the league's title.
W&M and Brown both posted a 193.600, while Cornell placed third with a 192.350 and was followed by Temple (191.775), Penn (191.275) and Yale (189.850).
The ECAC season awards were also presented on Saturday, as W&M sophomore Brittany Stover was honored as the league's Gymnast of the Year. Additionally, junior Brandy Stover was selected as the Specialist of the Year and assistant coach Tim Rivera was chosen as the Assistant Coach of the Year. Junior Stacia Ruse was also recognized as one of six Scholar Athletes of the Year.
In addition to the season awards, five Tribe gymnasts combined to earn nine all-conference honors on Saturday. Brittany Stover highlighted those performances by winning the individual vault title, while freshman Olivia O'Connor placed second on bars and in all-around.
W&M's best collective effort of the afternoon came on bars where it earned a season-high 48.800, which ties for the eighth-best score in school history. O'Connor placed second with a career-high 9.800, while sophomore Alyssa Glass also earned all-conference honors by tying for fifth with a career-best 9.775. Brittany Stover and senior Jessica Pritchard also came up big with a pair of 9.750's, while freshman Briana Gironda posted a career-high 9.725.
O'Connor and Brandy Stover both earned all-league distinction on beam by tying for fourth with a 9.750 and helped the team record a 48.450.
Stover's winning score of 9.825 on vault helped the College earn a 48.275 in the event.
Senior Larson Lasek was the Tribe's top performer on floor and earned all-conference distinction by placing fifth with a 9.675. As a team, W&M totaled a 48.075.
Three Tribe gymnasts garnered all-league honors as all-arounders – O'Connor, Brittany Stover and Lasek. O'Connor placed second with a 38.850, while Stover (38.775) and Lasek (38.625) finished third and tied for sixth, respectively.
