CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Cortland women's gymnastics team set a program record on floor exercise, led by Tessa Sutton's (Fairport/Rochester Gymnastics Academy) tie for first in the event, at the Empire State Collegiate Championship. Cortland hosted the six-team meet at Corey Gymnasium.
 
The two Division I schools at the event took the top team spots. Long Island University won with a score of 194.75 and Cornell was second at 192.85. Brockport barely edged Cortland for third place - the Golden Eagles ended at 192.00 and the Red Dragons at 191.95. Ithaca was fifth (189.50) and Utica finished sixth (188.50).
 
Cortland's floor exercise score of 49.075 broke the program record of 48.85 set at the 2019 NCGA East Regional. The Red Dragons' team score of 191.95 is their second-best this season and tied for fifth best in program history. Cortland also posted program top-10 efforts on vault (sixth-best 48.25) and uneven bars (ninth-best 47.625).
 
Sutton finished in a four-way tie for first on floor with a career-high 9.875, which is tied for fourth best in school history. The top three spots in the school record book are all 9.90 - two by Emma Schulz (in 2019 and 2020) and one by Courtney Mangini (in 2014). Sutton also finished in the top half of the 36-gymnast field in two other events - she tied for 11th on balance beam with a 9.725 and tied for 12th on vault with a season-best 9.625.
 
The other Red Dragons who contributed to the floor exercise record were Aria Roberts (Charlotte, NC/Everest Gymnastics) with a season/career-high 9.825 and Autumn Adkins (Aledo, TX/Impact Athletics Training Center) with a career-high tying 9.825, to tie for 13th place, along with Gianna Mirigliano (Springfield, PA/Roth's CrossPoint Gymnastics) and Shyann Bootman (East Greenbush/World Class Gymnastics Academy), who tied for 21st place with scored of 9.775 - a season best for Mirigliano and a season/career best for Bootman. Amy Hamilton (Buffalo/Stumpf's Gymnastics Center) also posted a career-high 9.75 in the event as Cortland's non-counting sixth-best performer (and tied for 23rd overall).
 
Tayah Graham (Syracuse/Blaze Gymnastics) tied for fourth on beam with a career-high 9.775 and finished fifth on vault with a 9.725. Mirigliano placed sixth on vault with a season-best 9.70. Olivia Chapman (Buffalo/Stumpf's Gymnastics Center) earned a 10th-place finish on uneven bars (9.60) and a tie for 18th on vault (9.55).
 
Kathryn McSweeney (East Brunswick, NJ/NJ Premier Gymnastics) tied for 11th on bars (9.575) and Bootman tied for 12th on vault with a season/career-high 9.625. Kyleigh Brown (Tunkhannock, PA/Endless Mountains Gymnastics) finished 17th on vault (9.575) and Roberts tied for 17th on bars (9.525).
 
Cortland will host a quad meet next Saturday at 1 p.m. with Ithaca, Springfield and Utica.

Coach's Corner - Comments from Cortland Head Coach Sulekha Modi Zaug:

The team showed up for a great effort after an extremely tough week! Breaking the school record on floor was icing on the cake for this week and for how this season is going. We are excited to keep showing up as strong as we can and being serious contenders for post season meets this season! I'm so proud of this team!


LIU 194.75, Cornell 192.85, Brockport 192.00, Cortland 191.95, Ithaca 189.50, Utica 188.50

(Top 4)

Vault: 1) Cami Whitaker (CORNELL) 9.85, 2) Raphaëlle Perreault (LIU) 9.80, T3) Kiara Hockman (BROCK) 9.775, T3) Eden Stippick (LIU) 9.775 (Top Cortland: 5) Tayah Graham, 9.725)

Uneven Bars: 1) Brisa Carraro (LIU) 9.825, 2) Morgen Shambo (CORNELL) 9.75, 3) Isabella Savino (LIU) 9.725, 4) Sarah Goetter (CORNELL) 9.70 (Top Cortland: 10) Olivia Chapman, 9.60)

Balance Beam: T1) Mikayla Burton (CORNELL) 9.85, T1) Natalia Tehrani (CORNELL) 9.85, 3) Raphaëlle Perreault (LIU) 9.80, T4) Tayah Graham (CORT) 9.775, T4) Grace McLean (CORNELL) 9.775

Floor Exercise: T1) Tessa Sutton (CORT) 9.875, T1) Kiara Hockman (BROCK) 9.875, T1) Josie Moylan (CORNELL) 9.875, T1) Camille Lund Rasmussen (LIU) 9.875

All-Around: 1) Raphaëlle Perreault (LIU) 39.025, 2) Alisya Dorman (UTICA) 37.625, 3) Grace Marra (UTICA) 37.55  (only three All-Around competitors)