Maryland gymnastics sought a signature performance to build confidence after a midseason rut forced it out of the top 30. Its final Big Ten meet of the season provided that.

The Terps scored a then-season-high 196.125 at the Big Four Meet on March 1, which included a win over then-No. 24 Illinois to cement their position in the middle four of the Big Ten standings. The score sparked the team’s best three-meet stretch of the year.

“I think it really just boosted everyone’s confidence, knowing that we can do this and we are as good as every other team out there,” senior Rhea LeBlanc said. “Just putting it together and believing in each other has helped.”

The Terps rode the momentum of the Big Four Meet into their next two bouts, where they posted 196.325 and 196.150, respectively. Maryland’s routines finally started to click after failing to break 196.000 through the first seven meets of the season.

Coach Brett Nelligan and his staff worked to resolve the team’s mistakes in practice. One of the first steps they took was to prevent falls by helping their gymnasts maintain composure under pressure.

[Maryland gymnastics all-around performance leads to win at Yale Tri Meet]

“Their poise has been really great,” Nelligan said. “I think early in the season, if there’s a low score or a fall, it causes [gymnasts] to be cautious.”

Nelligan has praised competing with “intention” and staying aggressive — even after a fall — rather than just competing to avoid mistakes. The Terps occasionally let miscues rattle them earlier this season, which produced lackluster scores.

At the Rutgers Quad on Feb. 2, sophomore Layla Hammer began the team’s beam rotation with a 9.125. The lineup had two more sub-9.500 scores shortly after.

Maryland has simulated “pressure scenarios” in practice to improve its mental toughness. In one exercise, Nelligan instructs gymnasts to imagine that the previous person in the lineup suffered a fall and the meet result is up to them, forcing them to calm their nerves and focus solely on their routine.

Gymnasts have not only remained consistent under the pressure of a major deduction recently, but they’ve also made progress toward eliminating falls entirely.

The Terps only had two scores below 9.200 in the 72 non-exhibition routines they performed over the last three meets. Nelligan said the Terps’ focus is now on optimizing their scores and making marginal improvements, like cleaning up their landings.

[Maryland gymnastics records season-high score, defeats Temple, 196.325-194.950]

The team’s recent performance has especially impacted gymnasts in the final spot of the lineup, such as LeBlanc.

The three-event gymnast anchors the bars lineup and is consistently under the most pressure in the unit. Cutting out mistakes has alleviated some of the burden and allowed LeBlanc to compete more freely.

“[The success] helps with my confidence and knowing I can go for everything, no matter if something goes wrong,” LeBlanc said. “Being able to go for every handstand, going for every stick, and knowing that the team has a good score that has counted before me is good.”

The Terps’ various improvements have helped build their confidence, simultaneously growing their success. The stretch has featured both season and career best marks for numerous gymnasts.

Maryland has two more meets — the George Washington Tri Meet and the Maryland Quad — ahead of postseason competition. It’s rolling at the right time.

“The last month has been very consistent,” Nelligan said. “That’s what you want to see.”