Leaps and bounds ahead

Anna Wilson has set a new standard for the Penn gymnastics team this season. Wilson currently holds the all-time school records in three individual events -- floor exercise, uneven bars, and vault -- plus the all-around. She has broken or tied a school record 10 times, surpassing her own mark on six occasions. She has also broken or tied a record in seven out of the team's 12 meets this season. And she's just a freshman. According to Penn coach Tom Kovic, Wilson's desire to succeed is what drives her to the excellence that she has displayed this season. "We really don't expect any more from Anna than she does of herself," Kovic said. "She's a unique individual who pushes herself to do the best she can." The Newland, N.C., native has kept a modest attitude despite all the high praise. "It feels good to be able to break my own records and set high standards [for myself]," Wilson said. "I just keep working harder and trying to do better, to set high expectations for the team. "You always have high hopes and aspirations, but you don't exactly know that they'll come true." The balance beam -- the only event which does not have her name beside it in the record books -- is probably the closest thing that Wilson has to a weak point. Yet she still established a personal best 9.825 in the event on March 2 against West Chester. "I'm just trying to slow down, take my time and not think so much about what I'm trying to do [on the beam]," Wilson said. "You get more nervous that way." However, if you ask her what her worst event is, you get a much different answer. "The vault," Wilson said. "It had been the vault [all season], and I need to compete on a more difficult vault." Since a gymnast's score on an event is based in part on the difficulty of the routine, a less difficult vault may start out based on a score less than 10, giving the gymnast a clear disadvantage from the outset. "My vault isn't worth a 10.0. It's worth a 9.9, and after I get that up [to a 10.0], [my scores] will hopefully get better." Like many young gymnasts, Wilson competed for a private club because the sport was not offered by her school, Avery County High School She had a very decorated club career, as she swept every event plus the all-around in the Level 10 state championship meet in both her junior and senior years of high school. Wilson also finished ninth in the vault and 15th on the floor at nationals her senior year. However, the transition from club to collegiate gymnastics has not been as easy as she has made it look. "Competing at this level is different from club gymnastics because it is a team sport," Wilson said of her new experience at the collegiate level. "Doing well individually is not half as important as doing well as a team." Fortunately, she has been able to draw upon the experience and leadership of her veteran teammates this season. "Since they do have experience with college gymnastics, they know what to say to help us when we aren't doing as well as we can," Wilson said. The shining moment of her season up to this point came in the team's final meet, the ECAC Championships. Wilson captured the all-around title with a school record 39.225 and also won the floor exercise and uneven bars against a very competitive field. "For her to do what she did [in the 2001 ECAC Championships], it's a great achievement," Kovic said. "But it was more or less the culmination of a great effort and a great attitude throughout the year." Now that the regular season is over, the postseason accolades are beginning to pour in as well. This week Wilson was named first-team All-ECAC, along with teammate and senior tri-captain Jenn Capasso. Wilson also has been selected to compete as the No. 1 seed in the individual all-around at the NCAA Northeast Regionals, which will take place at Michigan on Saturday. In doing so, she becomes the fifth consecutive gymnast to represent the Quakers at Regionals, following the lead of teammate Lauren Hittner last year. A plethora of school records, an ECAC all-around title, a trip to NCAA Regionals. All this, and Wilson is still only a freshman.

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