University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Season Preview   by Anjel

For the first time since 1994, the University of North Carolina women’s gymnastics team qualified three all-around gymnasts to the 2001 NCAA Southeast Regional.  The trio of senior Brooke Wilson, junior Lisa Companioni, and freshman Maddy Curley led an upstart Carolina team to a successful 2001 campaign, highlighted by a school team record of 195.075 last season against NC State.  Lost to graduation from last season is two-time EAGL Gymnast of the Year Brooke Wilson.  Wilson holds four of the five school individual records and scored the first perfect 10.0 in Tar Heel gymnastics history on balance beam on Feb. 3, 2001.

While Carolina fans will miss Wilson’s trademark full-in first pass on floor exercise, there is another Wilson who will wear Carolina blue this spring.  Anna Wilson, a sophomore transfer from the University of Pennsylvania, is likely to compete for Brooke Wilson’s all-around spot in the lineup.  Wilson, a native of Newland, NC, broke the Penn record books in her freshman year, posting record scores in the all-around (39.225), uneven bars (9.900), and floor exercise (9.975) en route to capture the 2001 ECAC All-Around title. Wilson also qualified for the 2001 NCAA Northeast Regionals, where she placed 10^th in the all-around.

Carolina returns 10 gymnasts from the 2001 season and is determined to qualify as a team to the 2002 Southeast Regional in Morgantown, West Virginia in April. 

Seniors

Lisa Companioni and Monica Middleton both competed in the all-around for the Lady Tar Heels in 2001 and will likely keep their positions in the lineup for the 2002 season.  Companioni, whose sister Lauren is a freshman gymnast at LSU, placed second on the balance beam at the 2001 EAGL Championships and qualified for regionals as an individual all-arounder, but was sidelined due to an elbow injury sustained at EAGLs.  Companioni’s clean lines on the uneven bars and balance beam will be assets for this team.  Middleton, a former World Championships team member for Mexico, is another experienced all-arounder for Carolina, whose experience and leadership will be invaluable for the team. Middleton trained an Arabian double front tumbling pass on floor during the 2001 season.

Juniors

Natalie Halbach, a 2001 Southeast Regional qualifier on balance beam, is a strong three-event gymnast for Carolina this season.   Fritzie Cathcart is a potential all-arounder who contributed on vault, bars, and floor last season.  Anne Chaffee, who saw limited action on the balance beam, and Chrissy Klonne, who saw limited action on floor last season, round out the junior class.

Sophomores

Maddy Curley, a 2001 Southeast Regional qualifier in the all-around during her freshman year, leads a talented sophomore class.  Curley has the potential to achieve similar success as Brooke Wilson, showing great promise on beam and floor exercise, where she competes a 2 ½ twist in her first pass.  Skylar Inman emerged as a strong specialist for the Lady Tar Heels on the uneven bars, posting a season best 9.825 in a meet versus NC State last February.  Joany Snider and Amanda Smith, who saw limited action of floor last season, round out the sophomore class.

Freshmen

The Lady Tarheels welcome four incoming freshmen to the team for the 2002 campaign.

• Elisabeth Alsop, a Level 10 gymnast from Gym Carolina in Raleigh, NC, placed 47^th AA at the 2001 Level 10 JO Nationals (Senior C) and 6^th AA and 3^rd FX at the 2001 Level 10 Regionals (Senior C). 
• Olivia Trusty, a Level 10 gymnast from Rebounders in Baltimore, MD, placed 17^th AA at the 2000 Level 10 JO Nationals (Senior B) and 2^nd AA, 1^st FX, and 1^st BB at the 2000 Level 10 Regionals (Senior B). 
• Morgan Stanley, a Level 10 gymnast from Gym Carolina in Raleigh, NC, placed 2^nd AA, 1^st UB, and 1^st FX at the 2001 Level 10 NC State Championships.
• Amy Williams, a Level 10 gymnast from AJS Gymnastics in West Chester, PA, placed 15^th AA and 4^th VT at the 2001 Level 10 Regionals (Senior D).

 Anjel an be reached at Anjel@collegegymfans.com