FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 11, 2002

Three Rhode Island College Gymnasts Qualify
for the 2002 NCGA Championships

Providence, RI—Three Rhode Island College women’s gymnasts have qualified for the 2002 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championships, hosted by the Ithaca College, on Mar. 22 and 23.

Junior Shannon Hughey (Warwick, RI) will compete as a bars and floor specialist. Freshman Caren Normandin (Fall River, MA) will compete as a vault specialist and sophomore Nikki Longo (Raynham, MA) will compete as a beam specialist.

Head Coach Nicole Pannone’s team finished the regular season with a 0-9 overall record and was 0-5 against Eastern College Conference Association (ECAC) opposition. The Anchorwomen placed seventh (eight teams) at the Div. III ECAC Championships, hosted by Ursinus College, on Mar. 9 with a team score of 174.075

Hughey is heading to the NCGAs for the second consecutive year. She competed as an all-around specialist at last year’s championships.

At the 2002 ECACs, she placed 20^th on vault with a score of 9.175, seventh on bars with a score of 9.075, 34^th on beam with a score of 8.600, ninth on floor with a score of 9.475 and eighth in the all-around with a combined score of 36.325.

Hughey is averaging scores of 8.843 on vault, 8.778 on bars, 8.348 on beam, 9.055 on floor and 35.023 in the all-around. Her season-high marks are as follows: 9.175 on vault and 9.475 on floor at the ECAC Championships on Mar. 9; 9.250 on bars vs. MIT/Bridgeport on Feb. 24; 9.200 on beam and 36.725 in the all-around vs. Springfield/Southern Connecticut on Feb. 10.

Longo will also be competing at the NCGAs for the second straight year. She competed as a bars specialist at last season’s championships.

At the 2002 ECACs, she placed 34^th on vault with a score of 8.975, 23^rd on bars with a score of 8.575, 15^th on beam with a score of 9.200, 39^th on floor with a score of 8.775 and 10^th in the all-around with a score 35.525.

Longo is averaging scores of 8.698 on vault, 8.570 on bars, 9.063 on beam, 8.478 on floor and 34.808 in the all-around. Her season-high marks are as follows: 8.975 on vault vs. Bridgeport on Dec. 8 and at the ECAC Championships on Mar. 9; 9.200 on bars, 9.450 on beam, 8.900 on floor and 36.500 in the all-around vs. MIT/Bridgeport on Feb. 24.

Normandin is having an outstanding freshman season and will be competing at her first NCGA Championships.

At the 2002 ECACs, she placed ninth on vault with a score of 9.325, 12^th on bars with a score of 8.925, 20^th on beam with a score of 8.975, 14^th on floor with a score of 9.400 and seventh in the all-around with a score of 36.625.

She is averaging scores of 9.005 on vault, 8.435 on bars, 9.025 on beam, 8.975 on floor and 35.440 in the all-around. Her season-high marks are as follows: 9.325 on vault and 36.625 in the all-around at the ECAC Championships on Mar. 9; 9.400 on floor vs. MIT/Bridgeport on Feb. 24 and at the ECAC Championships on Mar. 9; 9.100 on bars vs. SUNY-Brockport on Feb. 2; 9.400 on beam at the Wilson Invitational on Jan. 26.

RIC Gymnastics Notes

Sophomore Michaela Hogan (Warwick, RI) injured her knee on beam while competing at the ECAC Championships and was unable to finish the meet. Hogan is averaging scores of 8.243 on vault, 8.014 on bars, 7.517 on beam, 8.383 on floor and 32.650 in the all-around. Her season-high marks are as follows: 8.650 on vault at the Brockport Invitational on Jan. 19; 8.750 on bars and 8.700 on floor vs. MIT/Bridgeport on Feb. 24; 8.150 on beam at the Ithaca Invitational on Feb. 17; 33.400 in the all-around vs. Springfield/Southern Connecticut on Feb. 10.

Freshman Ashley O’Blenis (Bristol, RI) placed 37^th on vault with a score of 8.750, 35^th on bars with a score of 8.050, 36^th on beam with a score of 8.525, 30^th on floor with a score of 9.150 and 16^th in all-around with a score of 34.475 at the ECAC Championships. O’Blenis is averaging scores of 8.488 on vault, 7.888 on bars, 8.380 on beam, 8.958 on floor and 33.713 in the all-around. Her season-high marks are as follows: 8.850 on vault and 8.250 on bars vs. MIT/Bridgeport on Feb. 24; 8.900 on beam and 34.700 in the all-around vs. SUNY-Brockport on Feb. 2; 9.375 on floor vs. Springfield/Southern Connecticut on Feb. 10.

Sophomore Nicole Simone (Johnston, RI) placed 44^th on vault with a score of 8.400, 45^th on bars with a score of 6.200, 43^rd on beam with a score of 8.100, 45^th on floor with a score of 8.425 and 20^th in the all-around with a score of 31.125 at ECAC Championships. Simone is averaging scores of 8.155 on vault, 6.433 on bars, 8.033 on beam, 8.456 on floor and 31.710 in the all-around. Her season-high marks are as follows: 8.300 on vault, 7.150 on bars, 8.600 on beam and 33.100 in the all-around vs. MIT/Bridgeport on Feb. 24; 9.250 on floor vs. Springfield/Southern Connecticut on Feb. 10.

Senior captain Kristen Oliver (Bristol, RI) broke her left foot at the Wilson Invitational on Jan. 26 and was lost for the season. Prior to the injury, Oliver was averaging scores of 8.460 on vault, 6.913 on bars, 8.681 on beam, 8.835 on floor and 32.950 in the all-around. Her season-high marks were as follows: 8.900 on vault, 7.850 on bars and 34.675 in the all-around vs. MIT/Ursinus on Jan. 25; 9.175 on beam and 8.975 on floor vs. Brown on Dec. 3;

Sophomore Nicki Turner (Salem, NH) is out indefinitely after tearing her left ACL over Christmas Break. Turner was averaging scores of 8.150 on vault, 6.925 on bars and 8.300 on floor. Her season-high marks were as follows: 8.350 on vault vs. Bridgeport on Dec. 8; 7.200 on bars and 8.450 on floor vs. Brown on Dec. 3.

Freshman Lauren Brennan (Barrington, RI) has yet to see action for the Anchorwomen this season

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