SEASON PREVIEW: Gymnastics hopes to vault past Ursinus, WCU

Ask any Division I college coach about goals. Scratch that. Ask any coach anywhere about goals and their responses will probably range anywhere from the urbane successful season aspiration to the more ambitious championship prediction. Pose the same question to women's gymnastics coach Tom Kovic and you'll get much more than the garden variety answer. After last year's team enjoyed its best season ever, Kovic hungers for more. But the championship he covets most isn't something that will come simply by having his charges hold their landings or tighten their summersaults. Kovic unabashedly admits he wants to be the National Academic Champ, (highest team GPA), a list on which the Quakers (0-1) finished eighth last year. Lofty? Yes. But as Kovic tells his gymnasts, "It's better to reach for greatness and fail than strive for mediocrity." Of course, the team won't just be digging for scholastic pay dirt. They would like to improve on their ninth place year-end ranking in the East Region of the NCAA. Kovic hopes to end up fourth in the ECAC, a spot which would qualify his team for the NCAA championship meet to which the top seven regional teams receive invites. With such high aspirations, the thought of repeating as Ivy League champs almost gets lost in the shuffle. Penn makes its home season debut today at Hutch Gymnasium at 6:30 p.m. against Ursinus and West Chester. Looking at the departed core of seniors, some of Kovic's predictions look like they may be vastly easier said than done. Last year's all-around top performer, Mary Pedersen, won't be around to fall back on for points. Fortunately, though, senior co-captain Monique Burton will. And if there's anyone who can carry the load, it's her. "She really loves to compete," Kovic adamantly proclaimed. Indeed she does, as witness her medal against Rhode Island, where she fared well enough to grab a second place in the floor competition and a fourth in the vault just one day after being diagnosed with a concussion. Of her floor program, Kovic says, "Mo's one of the best floor performers in the east. She has an extremely difficult routine." Of course, Burton won't win any meets on her own. Fortunately for the Quakers, she'll get plenty of help from fellow co-captain Nicole LeBrasseur. Kovic also expects seniors Amy Casey and Staci Standen to help lead the way. With his team's impressive achievements, Kovic was able to lure some top high school talent to University City. The freshman quartet of Kathleen Gunn, Carin Kaplen, Shilpa Rao and Beth Manley should make an impact right away. As for tomorrow's meet, the Quakers have traditionally had little trouble with West Chester and Ursinus. However, starting off 0-1 should give the Quakers all the incentive they need to put away these two foes with gusto and knot their record.