Season-high scores were everywhere for Maryland gymnastics at Saturday’s Big Four Meet. Tasha Brozowski provided one at bars, only her third time competing in the lineup this year.
The senior ended her more than 20-second routine with a clean landing, scoring a 9.850 for one of four season-best scores and six performances of 9.800 or better in the bars lineup. She powered the unit to a meet-high 49.275 event score in the Terps’ most important bout of their campaign yet.
“No matter if it’s … a meet against the best team in the nation or not, we take the same approach,” Brozowski said. “We just have a goal of being better than we were last week.”
Brozowski filled in for senior Sierra Kondo, arguably Maryland’s best bar worker, for the second consecutive meet. Kondo took a break to correct her form after a career-worst 8.500 outing against Washington on Feb. 14.
Brozowski felt honored that coach Brett Nelligan trusted her with the opportunity to fill in for one of the team’s best on bars. She’s stepped up in Kondo’s absence from the top of the lineup.
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Senior Victoria Gatzendorfer and freshman Sarah Saville began the rotation on Saturday with scores of more than 9.800. Brozowski continued that streak with her first score beyond that mark this year.
Brozowksi saw her first action of the campaign against then-No. 22 Penn State on Feb. 7, replacing Alexa Rothenbuescher when the fifth-year took the meet off for a mental reset. Brozowksi said her season debut sparked the confidence she needed on Saturday.
Though she’s only been featured in three meets as a substitute, Brozowski was once a mainstay of Maryland’s bars lineup.
The Angier, North Carolina, native has spent all four years of her collegiate career with the program, making her debut in the latter half of her sophomore season with six meets. She even competed in an NCAA Regional.
Brozowski established herself as a full-time starter on bars as a junior, finishing third on the Terps in scoring. Then, injury struck in the postseason.
[Maryland gymnastics builds confidence ahead of final Big Ten meet]
Brozowski dislocated her kneecap and tore her meniscus, MCL and MPFL after an awkward vault landing in May. She underwent surgery and an eight-month recovery, gradually working back to being a contributor.
“My goal, honestly, for this whole year was just to hopefully … be ready if the team needs me,” Brozowski said.
Nelligan said the struggle of Brozowski’s grueling recovery process, along with her four years of experience, eased her reentry into the bars lineup and alleviated pressure. It just took a few meets to get her season started.
Brozowski was unfazed by a conference tournament-style meet against three ranked teams. She seamlessly returned to the lineup when called upon after missing most of a calendar year.
“[Brozowski] is able to step right into that role because she’s a veteran, she knows what to do in those situations,” Nelligan said. “She’s competed at NCAA Regionals and Big Ten Championships … she’s very comfortable in that spot.”
