Gymnasts finish sixth

Last Sunday was a time for historical moments. The Penn gymnastics team had qualified for the East Coast Athletic Conference championships for the first time ever. The Quakers had worked all season for this chance to compete. The Ivy championship had been won and the scoring records set, but Penn was not satisfied. Regional respect still eluded the Quakers as they traveled to Vermont. Penn finished sixth with 182.8 points. The score was respectable, but far from the multiple school records the team has set thus far. "It wasn't the best meet of our lives," junior Nikki LeBrasseur said. "Our goals were just to go in and do our best. There were some rough spots and some great spots. We were definitely ecstatic to make it to ECACs." Still struggling to recuperate from nagging injuries, the Quakers counted two missed routines on beam and one on bars out of the six total for each event. According to the Quakers, the experience of competing at such a high level was most important. "We were a little bruised and battered, but it was a great meet for the team," said Penn coach Tom Kovic, the ECAC Coach of the Year. "We weren't rattled or nervous." Penn followed New Hampshire in the Olympic rotation, beginning on the vault. This put the Quakers' weakest event, the uneven bars, second. "We were in a tough position," senior co-captain Mona Nedjar said. "It's difficult to follow a team that good because the judges expect you to be at their level. Regardless of the scores, we did a great job, the best we could." Despite the distraction of a cheering crowd and tough judging in the early rotations, the Quakers set a new floor exercise record of 47.375. Senior co-captain Mary Pedersen finished eighth in the all-around with 37.85 points. Junior Monique Burton and Pedersen each received a 9.575 to tie for 10th place in the floor exercise. New Hampshire won the ECAC championship with 191.3 points, beating second-place Towson State by almost two points and ending the Tigers' seven-year reign as champions. Yale took the fifth spot. The Elis victory over Penn tied the season series at two wins apiece. The Quakers were able to put aside their usual animosity toward the Elis to compliment their rivals' performances. "There were two Ivy teams competing against five scholarship teams," junior Staci Standen said. "We performed at their level." "Yale did a great job," Kovic said. "I think it's a marvelous rivalry, going back and forth all year long. Comparatively, all season, we were a better team." Kovic was honored at the meet. He was recognized as the ECAC Coach of the Year. He downplayed the award, preferring instead to praise his team. "This is the most successful season in the history of Penn gymnastics," Kovic said. "We certainly have regional notoriety. It's just a good feeling." Penn has fulfilled all its goals for this season. Now the Quakers are thinking about the future. "The ECAC performance sets a standard," Kovic said. "Whereas in the past, the team's long-term goal was to reach ECACs, this year will set a new standard for future Penn teams. Now we want to qualify a team for the NCAA regionals." The top seven teams in the Northeast qualify for regionals, and the Quakers were ranked ninth. Next year, Penn hopes to qualify as a team for the first time. The road to the NCAAs is starting in practice sessions next week. "The team will come in two or three times a week to condition and work on new skills," Kovic said. "Now it's time to rest and enjoy after a very demanding season." One of the Quakers will not be able to relax and bask in success just yet. As the lone Quaker to qualify for the NCAA regionals, Pedersen's season is not over. Even though their season is over, members of the team will be coming into the gym to practice with Pedersen. As the senior Quakers, Nedjar and Lynn Aronica are facing the end of the season with a combination of smiles and tears. While they are both happy with the results of the season, neither is anxious to leave the team. "I'm not fully aware of how I feel," Nedjar said. "I've had such a long and successful career as a gymnast, and now I'm very emotional. I can look back on this season knowing I was very consistent. I'm very proud of the fact that I stayed on the beam all season without one fall. "I'm really proud of this team," Aronica said. "We've met all our goals for the first time ever. It's a great feeling when you not only meet expectations but exceed them. Our team is definitely getting recognized, and getting the respect we deserve." And that was all the Quakers wanted in the first place.