Maryland gymnastics was desperate to rebound after tallying its lowest score of 2024.
The Terps floundered in last Saturday’s Big Five meet. But on Friday, coach Brett Nelligan’s team hosted three other squads in the Xfinity Center and showed a packed crowd an artistic display.
Maryland scored 196.350 and finished first at Maryland Quad. George Washington followed with a 195.675 while Central Michigan and William & Mary took the third and fourth spots with scores of 195.450 and 193.200, respectively.
“Everyone was locked in,” Nelligan said. “We wanted this to be a night that our seniors never forget and I’m so proud of the team for coming out … and putting it all together and honoring our seniors in the best way.”
Maryland began the night on vault. Olivia Weir ran down the vault runway and pushed off the table. The senior twisted, squeezing her legs and pointing her toes and landed near-perfectly to earn a 9.775.
Silberman, Alexa Rothenbuescher and Taylor Rech matched her score.
But the highlight of the rotation came from Josephine Kogler, who has been a force for the Terps’ vault unit all season. She performed a Yurchenko full, soaring high into the air and landing with just a small step backward.
Kogler notched a 9.850 as the Terps had a 48.950, the best score of the rotation.
Maryland led the competition after the first rotation but then went to uneven bars. The Terps notched their worst score in seven years in the event at Saturday’s Big Five meet.
[Small mistakes led to Maryland gymnastics’ worst performance of the season]
Victoria Gatzendorfer led off and executed a cast handstand on the high bar. But the junior leaned too far over on her handstand and had to hop off the bar. She regrouped and stuck her double back tuck landing to finish her routine with a 9.275.
Emma Silberman, in her first uneven bars performance since Jan. 27, showed off a Gienger. The release move has gymnasts half flip off the high bar and regrip back on it. The graduate student executed vertical cast handstands and nearly stuck the double layout landing. She added a 9.850 as a much improved uneven bars rotation that captured a 48.950.
“Anytime we got in trouble, like on bars we got in a little trouble, we worked our way out of it,” Nelligan said.
After two rotations, his squad held a slim lead over the other three schools.
Maryland then went to the balance beam, where it’s been inconsistent all season. It started the year as the Big Ten’s top-ranked unit but has posted sub-49 scores in the last two meets. The Terps crossed that mark Friday with a 49.250.
Silberman performed a double back handspring to layout step out. She moved through her routine and displayed solid balance, earning a 9.850.
Layla Hammer went next and fell off the beam after her tumbling series, causing a major deduction. She hopped back on and finished her performance for a mere 9.050.
[Maryland gymnastics posts season-low 195.100 in last-place finish at Big Five Meet]
Maddie Komoroski and Kogler showed why they’re two key components in Nelligan’s beam lineup. Both excelled, scoring 9.925 and 9.900 respectively.
Kogler flipped into a Gainer full off the side of the beam and cemented her feet onto the mat to avoid deductions. Komoroski displayed a front aerial and switch leap, keeping her chest up as she landed.
“We’re an outstanding beam team,” Nelligan said. “They just need to believe in themselves and tonight, they were very focused. Their confidence was great. This is the beam team we can be week in and week out.”
Maryland entered the final rotation with a slim lead and solidified it with their best performance of the night, earning a 49.200 behind some strong performances by potentially departing seniors.
Samantha Gilbert flipped into a double back tuck. The senior transitioned into a leap sequence before finishing high on her final tumbling pass. She earned a 9.825.
Another senior, Rothenbuescher, has led the Terps in floor scoring all season. She executed a whip to double back tuck, sticking the landing. She wrapped her routine with a double back pike and scored a 9.875.
Silberman, who hadn’t seen the floor lineup since the second meet of the season, performed in the exhibition role — meaning her performance didn’t affect the final score.
But Silberman still excelled. She powerfully attacked her first pass, smiling as she maneuvered through leaps and dance elements. She earned a 9.825.
“Tonight just showed you that Emma’s the type of kid you should never count her out, don’t ever make that mistake,” Nelligan said. “There’s nothing that she can’t achieve.”
