PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Cortland women's gymnastics team finished in second place at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) East Region Qualifier, hosted by Rhode Island College, and earned a berth to the NCGA Championships, which will be held March 23-24 at Springfield College.

Ithaca won the team title with a score of 191.475, followed by Cortland at 190.30 and Brockport at 190.225. The top three teams at the regional qualify for national and will compete along with three teams from the West region. Rounding out the East region field were Springfield (189.525), Ursinus (188.40) and Rhode Island College (182.40). Cortland surpassed the 190-point plateau for the third straight meet.

Sophomore Sidney McConnell (Winchester, CA/Vista Murrieta) broke the school record on uneven bars with a 9.825 to win the East region title in the event for the second straight year. The previous school record of 9.80 was held by Maddy Scozzie (2014-15) and Sulekha Modi (1999-2000).

McConnell's victory was one of seven Cortland top-six finishes that earned all-region honors. Junior Rachel Filipski (Lancaster) picked up two all-region awards with a tie for second on floor exercise (career-high 9.80) and a tie for third on vault (9.75). Senior McKenna Passalacqua (Whitesboro) tied for second on balance beam (9.65).

Also appearing on the all-region podium were sophomore Ashley Scarantino (Pittston, PA/Pittston Area) in fifth place on bars (career-high 9.55), senior Bailey Gildemeyer (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) in a tie for sixth on vault (9.675), and junior Lily Szafranski (Williamsville/Williamsville South) in a tie for sixth on floor (9.725).

Cortland also recorded four additional top-12 finishes. Sophomore Genna Orlik (Port Jefferson Station/Comsewogue) placed ninth on beam (9.575), senior Arianna Turso (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) finished 11th on bars (9.35), freshman Emma Schulz (Poughquag/Arlington) tied for 11th on floor (9.65), and Szafranski tied for 12th on vault (9.60).

Schulz was recognized after the meet as the NCGA East Co-Rookie of the Year.

In addition to competing as a team in the NCGA Championships March 23, Cortland will have numerous representatives at the NCGA Individual Event Finals the following day. The top five finishers in each event at the NCGA East Championships automatically qualify (Filipski vault and floor, McConnell bars, Scarantino bars, Passalacqua beam). In addition, the top five gymnasts in Seasonal Average Score (SAS) in each event not among the top five finishers also qualify - that list includes Gildemeyer on vault and beam, Schulz on beam and floor, and Szafranski on vault. Szafranski narrowly missed on qualifying for nationals on floor as she lost a tiebreaking scoring procedure for the 10th and final spot from the East.


2018 NCGA East Regional Qualifier
March 10 - Rhode Island College - Providence, R.I.

Complete Results (PDF)


FINAL TEAM SCORES:

1) Ithaca - 191.475
2) Cortland - 190.30
3) Brockport - 190.225
4) Springfield - 189.525
5) Ursinus - 188.40
6) Rhode Island College - 182.40


Individual Event Top 6 finishers (All-NCGA East)

VAULT:
1) Stephanie Mager (Brockport) - 9.825
2) Candis Kowalik (Brockport) - 9.775
tie 3) Rachel Filipski (Cortland) - 9.75
tie 3) Carolyn Nichols (Ithaca) - 9.75
5) Taylor Jackson (Springfield) - 9.725
tie 6) Bailey Gildemeyer (Cortland) - 9.675
tie 6) Ali Rushlow (Springfield) - 9.675
tie 6) Shelby Schumaker (Brockport) - 9.675

UNEVEN BARS:
1) Sidney McConnell (Cortland) - 9.825
2) Elyse Ryden (Ithaca) - 9.70
3) Baylie Trammell (Ithaca) - 9.675
4) Courtney Christoforo (Ithaca) - 9.575
5) Ashley Scarantino (Cortland) - 9.55
tie 6) Miranda Shaine (Brockport) - 9.525
tie 6) Danielle Maffuid (Ithaca) - 9.525
tie 6) Alexandra Puryear (Ursinus) - 9.525

BALANCE BEAM:
1) Emily Szembrot (Ithaca) - 9.675
tie 2) McKenna Passalacqua (Cortland) - 9.65
tie 2) Lauren White (Springfield) - 9.65
tie 2) Sarah Murphy (Springfield) - 9.65
tie 2) Candis Kowalik (Brockport) - 9.65
tie 6) Nina Bustamente-Nadeau (Ithaca) - 9.625
tie 6) Amanda Palladino (Ursinus) - 9.625

FLOOR EXERCISE:
1) Victoria Gery (Ithaac) - 9.825
tie 2) Rachel Filipski (Cortland) - 9.80
tie 2) Eleanor LaFountain (Ursinus) - 9.80
4) Britttany Vasile (Brockport) - 9.775
5) Candis Kowalik (Brockport) - 9.75
tie 6) Lily Szafranski (Cortland) - 9.725
tie 6) Alexis Griffin (Ithaca) - 9.725
tie 6) Carolyn Griffin (Ithaca) - 9.725

ALL-AROUND:
1) Candis Kowalik (Brockport) - 38.425
2) Alexandra Puryear (Ursinus) - 38.325
3) Ali Rushlow (Springfield) - 38.00
4) Heather Brubaker (Ursinus) - 37.325
5) Miranda Murphy (RIC) - 37.00
6) Jessica Clemens (Springfield) - 36.55