On Sunday, the women’s gymnastics team came out on top as they hosted senior day against George Washington University. The N.C. State Gymnastics program, along with family and friends, honored its three senior gymnasts: Brittney Hardiman, Brittany Vontz, and Amy DePasquale.
All three girls have made numerous contributions to Coach Stevenson’s squad ever since their first appearances here at State. Stevenson has coached them to their best potential and over the course of four years he, along with the rest of the Wolfpack girls, have grown to appreciate every effort these seniors have given back to the squad.
“We are losing three great kids, and great kids are hard to replace,” Stevenson said.
On Sunday, the seniors showed everyone what their four years at State has taught them, proving that with practice and hard work, you will earn your place in the eyes of judges. Each competitor has her own ability and skill that is tough to follow by opponents.
Coach Stevenson continued to applaud his senior girls by saying that they are all three different in their own right.
“Brittney [Hardiman], Brittany [Vontz], and Amy [DePasquale] all bring different things to the plate.”
Senior Brittney Hardiman, who was t he 2008 EAGL Rookie of the Year along with being a Scholastic All-American, displayed her ability in the vault, bars and floor exercise when she finished top three in all of the events including her outstanding tie for 1st place finish in the vault. Her spirit and emotions were evident when she took to the podium more than once during yesterday’s outstanding performance.
“I feel really good. It was an emotional day from the beginning,” Hardiman said. “All I wanted to do is come out here and do well for my teammates, because they mean the world to me, and I am glad I was able to end it on a good note.”
Coach Stevenson echoed Hardiman’s joy and said that she has always been good under pressure.
” For Hardiman, I could put her up first every day, and every day she will go hit her routine,” Stevenson said. “The first routine always pressures everyone else, but with a good first routine you can see a snowball [effect] and have a good day.”
Another contender in Sunday’s event was Senior Brittany Vontz, who was also the recipient of the 2011 ACC Post-Graduate scholarship . Her 2nd place finish in the uneven paralleled bars and 9.725 in the vault allowed for the Wolfpack to keep its lead over the Colonials after the first and second rotation of events.
“Brittany Vontz is a tremendous competitor and very detail oriented” Coach Stevenson said.
After three rotations, the Wolfpack was able to stay strong and on top of each event with the help of Junior Jess Panza. Panza was a three-time 1st place winner in the uneven paralleled bars, vault, and the floor exercise.
With an almost perfect 10, Panza’s 9.900, along with other finishes, was a key to locking in N.C. State’s 195.350 win over George Washington’s 193.925 finish. Of the three events she competed in, Panza did not score under 9.80 in any, allowing for the Pack to never fall behind the Colonials in any of the three rotations.
“It feels really good to end on a good note,” Panza said. “[It] feels good to do this for our seniors. This meet was important to us and we gave it our all and they gave it their all, [repeatedly] every year they have been here.”
Losing to ninth-ranked UCLA last weekend gave the girls an even bigger desire to win at their last home meet. The joy in Panza and the rest of the Pack’s faces while sitting to hear awards and recognitions gave Coach Stevenson a feeling of satisfaction.
“I think the kids did a great job today,” Stevenson said. “Our goal every time we go into a meet is to make sure we don’t count any falls. Last weekend at UCLA we counted a fall but today we counted no falls, and that’s one more step in the right direction to put us where we need to be down the line.”
The Wolfpack women will compete this Friday at Penn State and will have two away meets left, followed by the EAGL and NCAA conference meets.