COLLEGEVILLE, Pa., March 11, 2006 - Springfield College junior Jillian Silverman (Ipswich, Mass.) took first on the balance beam (9.550) and tied for first on the vault (9.600) as the Pride finished in fifth place out of eight competing teams at this weekend's ECAC Division III Championships, hosted by Ursinus College.
In the meet, five SC gymnasts successfully qualified for this year's National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Division III Championships, which will be hosted by Brockport State on Friday and Saturday, March 24-25. Holly Desrocher and Tim Goetz were also honored as the 2006 ECAC Assistant Coaches of the Year.
Silverman has qualified for the NCGA's in the vault, uneven parallel bars, and balance beam events after her impressive performances at the ECAC meet. Sophomore Kerry McGowan (East Lyme, Conn.) finished fifth in the floor exercise event (9.525) to qualify for the NCGA's, and classmate Cara Chadbourne (New Salem, Mass.), who finished in a 10th-place tie on the floor this weekend (9.400), will also compete in the national meet.
Freshman Kristen Fairburn (Salem, N.H.) placed sixth in the uneven parallel bars to qualify for nationals with a score of 9.375, as fellow first-year Jackie Mazzola (Framingham, Mass.) qualified for the NCGA's with a third-place tie on the vault (9.550).
Cheryl Raymond, who will be entering her 33rd year as women's gymnastics coach and assistant professor of physical education at Springfield College in 2012-2013, is one of the top college coaches in the region. Read more.
