WINONA, MINN. – SUNY Cortland senior
Glynis Curcione (Buffalo/Wilson Central) and freshman
Gianna Mirigliano (Springfield, PA) each earned All-America honors at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championships, hosted by Winona State University.
Curcione was the national runner-up out of 48 competitors on uneven bars with a 9.775. Mirigliano finished in fifth place out of 11 athletes in the all-around with a 37.525. The top eight finishers in each event were recognized as All-Americans.
Curcione matched her season high with the 9.775 score. Rachel Chesley of Wisconsin-La Crosse was the uneven bars national champion with a 9.80.
Mirigliano's 37.525 in the all-around included a 9.60 (tied for 19th) on balance beam, a 9.575 (tied for 36th) on floor exercise, a 9.55 (tied for 22nd) on vault and an 8.80 (tied for 33rd) on uneven bars. Tia Ravara of Wisconsin-Eau Claire won the title with a 38.10.
In addition, Cortland's three seniors - Curcione,
Abby Bang (Montgomery, MA/Gateway Regional) and
Bianca Carr (Tappan/Tappan Zee) - have all been recognized as NCGA Senior All-Americans in Academics award winners. The awards go to seniors with at least a 3.0 overall grade point average who appear on the team's NCGA squad list for the current year. The winners must be in their final year of athletic eligibility as well as seniors academically.
Curcione and Mirigliano were Cortland's lone two competitors at the meet. In the team competition, Wisconsin-Oshkosh won the national title with a 192.525, followed by Wisconsin-La Crosse (192.325), Wisconsin-Stout (190.275), Springfield (190.10), Brockport (189.225) and Ithaca (187.925).
Coach's Corner - Comments from Cortland Head Coach Sulekha Modi Zaug:
What a wonderful end to our season. Since the moment I met Glynis I knew she could be a National Champion on bars. No one in the country swings with such strength and Grace. Her routine was stunning and the competition fierce. I am so proud of her placement and most importantly she has closure to her gymnastics career and said she has no regrets. Gianna has her eyes set on winning next year and is already planning her strategy. Her fifth place finish, though a huge accomplishment, was not good enough for her and she is fired up for next year. The memories we have on this trip will last a lifetime and fuel us for next season!
