Dismounting with NCAA qualifiers

By Naomi Zeff

At the ECACs, Yale competed against seven other teams, including Ivy champion Pennsylvania, Brown, Cornell, Vermont, and host university James Madison. Nicole Hoffman, BR '01, posted the Elis' best performance, tying for second place on the uneven bars. Katie Kleiner, DC '01, was named ECAC Rookie of the Year for setting several scoring records in her first year.

"Overall...we now have a stronger team than we had the other years, it's just that the other Ivies are stronger now too," two-time captain Elise White, PC '98, said of the Bulldogs' second-place Ivy finish. But second place is not devasting to the gymnasts. Ky agreed, "It was a great year, and the whole season was a lot of fun."

Although it is now spring and people are beginning to speak of the gymnastics season in the past tense, the season is not over yet. Hoffman and Kleiner both qualified for the NCAA East Regional Championships at the University of Pittsburgh next weekend.

The Elis are also happy to be one of eight teams qualifying for Southern Connecticut State University's national meet against other non- and partial-scholarship programs from Thurs., Apr. 9 to Sat., Apr. 11. Despite better performances in the past, it is the first time that Yale has qualified for this competition.

--Naomi Zeff

Back to Sports...