With at least one meet still remaining in its season, the Terrapin gymnastics team already has several program-defining moments to look back on from this year.
It went unbeaten in conference play for the first time in its 32-year history. It tied a program record by hitting four consecutive scores of 195 or better. It placed third at the EAGL Championships on March 19, its highest finish since 2005.
But the No. 28 Terps (17-5) aren’t content.
“We’ve already accomplished so much this season, so why stop now?” freshman Katy Dodds said. “We want to keep surprising people.”
The Terps can continue their historic run with a strong showing at tomorrow’s Southeast Regional in Athens, Ga. The top two squads from the six-team pool will move on to the NCAA Championships in Cleveland.
That won’t be an easy task for a program coming off two straight last-place finishes at regionals. The Terps will face three top-20 teams in No. 6 UCLA, No. 8 Georgia and No. 18 LSU, and conference foes NC State and West Virginia — two programs that finished ahead of the Terps in the EAGL’s regular-season standings — round out the field.
But the Terps won’t be intimidated when they step onto the mat at Georgia’s 10,523-seat Stegeman Coliseum. After silencing their doubters throughout the regular season, they relish their role as underdogs.
“We’re not too concerned about the other teams,” coach Brett Nelligan said. “We feel like if we just enjoy it and leave everything out there on that mat, we’ll have a shot.”
And as if Nelligan’s squad needed any more motivation, Saturday’s meet could be the last time four Terp seniors — Abigail Adams, Jenn Iovino, Kaitlin Joseph and Kelsey McDermid — don the black and red.
Although each gymnast will leave her unique imprint on the program, it’s Adams who will try to extend a career that Nelligan has called “the best this program’s seen.”
The two-time EAGL All-Around champion has been key to the Terps’ stretch run this season. She hasn’t scored lower than a 9.700 since a home quad meet on Feb. 27. During that nearly five-week period, she’s grabbed three all-around titles and two EAGL Gymnast of the Week honors.
“For me, [regionals] aren’t going to be about proving anyone wrong or even about winning,” Adams said. “I just want to embrace it.”
letourneau@umdbk.com