PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Cortland women's gymnastics team qualified for the NCGA National Championships for the third straight season and set a new program record for team score with a 193.00 at the NCGA East Regional Saturday. The regional was hosted by Rhode Island College.

Cortland finished second out of seven teams with its record-breaking score of 193.00, trailing only Brockport (193.675). Rhode Island College placed third with a 192.200, followed by Ursinus (191.70), Ithaca (191.30), Utica (189.10) and Springfield (189.05). The top two teams from the regional meet automatically advance to the six-team NCGA National Championships March 20, hosted by Cortland for the first time since 2008. Cortland's previous school record was 192.80, set earlier this season in a meet at Ithaca.

In addition to the second-place regional finish and team record, Cortland received two major honors after the meet. Freshman Olivia Chapman (Buffalo/Stumpf's Gymnastics Center) was named the NCGA East Rookie of the Year, and head coach Sulekha Modi Zaug was chosen as the NCGA East Coach of the Year. Also, Cortland associate athletic directors Courtney Wormuth and Jaclyn Lawrence have been nominated for NCGA National Administrators of the Year honors.

Cortland opened the meet on floor exercise with a team score of 48.600. Shyann Bootman (East Greenbush World Class Gymnastics Academy) led the Red Dragons by matching her career high 9.775 to tie for sixth place overall. Gianna Mirigliano (Springfield, PA/Roth's CrossPoint Gymnastics) and Autumn Adkins (Aledo, TX/Impact Athletics Training Center) each recorded scores of 9.725, while Tessa Sutton (Fairport/Rochester Gymnastics Academy) added a 9.700.

The Red Dragons moved to vault and posted a team score of 47.775. Tayah Graham (Syracuse/Blaze Gymnastics) led the Red Dragons with a 9.750 to finish third overall, while Kyleigh Brown (Tunkhannock, PA/Endless Mountains Gymnastics) tied for eighth place with a 9.675. Samantha Meadows (Cypress, TX/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics) added a 9.650 to place 10th.

On uneven bars, Cortland scored a 48.275 in the third rotation, their highest event total of the day. Kathryn McSweeney (East Brunswick, NJ/NJ Premier Gymnastics) led the team with a season high 9.750 to place second overall, while Chapman tied for third with a 9.675. Kiana Wong (Elk Grove, CA/Dream Xtreme Gymnastics) and Adkins each scored 9.625 to tie for 10th.

Cortland closed the meet on balance beam, scoring a 48.350. Graham and Meadows each posted scores of 9.750 to tie for fifth place, while Anna Lee Dobson (Hueytown, AL/JamJev Gymnastics) and Bootman each registered a 9.625.

Five Red Dragons earned a total of six NCGA All-East honors with top-six finishes: Graham on vault (third) and balance beam (tied for fifth); McSweeney on uneven bars (second), Chapman on uneven bars (tied for third); Meadows on balance beam (tied for fifth); and Bootman on floor exercise (tied for sixth). McSweeney earned All-East honors on bars for the third straight year, while Meadows was previously All-East on beam in 2024.

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

They showed fight today and they wanted to be great so they were. Each routine set up the next and the will to do your best routine was contagious. Beating the school record and qualifying to nationals was just the icing on the cake because I told this team that they are a 193 scoring team and I knew they have the talent and potential to be as good as they want to be. It was so exciting watching them perform the way I know they can. Every event was so exciting. The energy in the venue with every team having the meet of the season is indescribable and then receiving all of the accolades at the end, just such a humbling reward. I'm honored to be recognized and so proud of the team for beating another school record this year!

2026 NCGA East Regional Qualifier
March 7 – Providence, R.I.

FINAL TEAM SCORES:

1) Brockport - 193.675
2) Cortland - 193.00
3) Rhode Island College - 192.20
4) Ursinus - 191.70
5) Ithaca - 191.30
6) Utica - 189.10
7) Springfield - 189.05
 
Individual Event Top 6 finishers

VAULT

1. Kiara Hockman, Brockport – 9.80
2. Grace Murray, Ithaca – 9.775
3. Tayah Graham, Cortland – 9.75
4. Molly Pompeii, Rhode Island College – 9.725
5T. Payton Greene, Rhode Island College – 9.70
5T. Sidney Schreiber, Ursinus – 9.70
5T. Erin Roe, Ursinus – 9.70
 
UNEVEN BARS

1. Abigail Bunch, Rhode Island College – 9.775
2. Kathryn McSweeney, Cortland – 9.75
3T. Emma Brookins, Brockport – 9.675
3T. Lucy Warburton, Ursinus – 9.675
3T. Erin Roe, Ursinus – 9.675
3T. Olivia Chapman, Cortland – 9.675
 
BALANCE BEAM

1T. Alyssa Strain, Brockport – 9.80
1T. Kayla Gleason, Brockport – 9.80
3T. Alisya Dorman, Utica – 9.775
3T. Scarlette Ayakawa, Springfield – 9.775
5T. Lienna Kay, Brockport – 9.75
5T. Kiara Hockman, Brockport – 9.75
5T. Tayah Graham, Cortland – 9.75
5T. Samantha Meadows, Cortland – 9.75
 
FLOOR EXERCISE

1. Kiara Hockman, Brockport – 9.875
2T. Emma Brookins, Brockport – 9.80
2T. Claire Wood, Brockport – 9.80
2T. Jillian Freyman, Ithaca – 9.80
2T. Liz Shrewsbury, Rhode Island College – 9.80
6T. Jamarie Saravia, Brockport – 9.775
6T. Aaliyah Krause, Rhode Island College – 9.775
6T. Sidney Schreiber, Ursinus – 9.775
6T. Shyann Bootman, Cortland – 9.775

ALL AROUND

1. Erin Roe, Ursinus -  38.625
2. Payton Greene, RIC - 38.525
3. Aaliyah Krause, RIC - 38.40
4T. Grace Marra, Utica - 37.80
4T. Sage Kaplan, Springfield - 37.80
6. Alisya Dorman, Utica - 37.70