2008 Woodie Awards
Willacy, Almenoksa compete at NCAA regionals
Simon Habtemariam
Sports | 4/13/08
Two Tigers battled through stiff competition at the NCAA regional meet this weekend and finished with a few favorable results.
Annukka Almenoksa finished 10th on the balance beam with a 9.825 mark. The junior beat out over thirty competitors for Towson's highest placing in an individual event for the day. Almenoksa finished tied for 25th place on the floor exercise, 27th on the bars and 40th on the vault, with scores of 9.70, 9.65, and 9.55 respectively.
"I wasn't surprised by her performance at all," head coach Dick Filbert said. "Annukka is a competitor."
Coming off of three consecutive first place finishes, Almenoksa posted a 38.725 all-around score in the regional meet. In arguably her best season, Almenoksa recently earned a first place finish in the ECAC all-around competition, and scored the highest mark on the balance beam with a 9.925.
Almenoksa was joined at NCAA regionals by senior Decelia Willacy. The Tiger co-captain placed third at the ECAC meet to qualify for the regional competition, but would finish the day without any Top 20 finishes. She would place 27th in all-around competition with a score of 37.675. Willacy's best event was also the balance beam; she finished in a three-way tie for 22nd place with a score of 9.725.
Willacy was the Tigers' top performer of the season and the ECAC Gymnast of the Year, a title formerly held by senior teammate and co-captian Christina Ghani. Ghani also qualified for the meet, but could not compete due to injury.
"This says something about the team, to win the conference without Christina," Filbert said.
Almenoksa and Willacy were the sole Towson representatives at the meet. The Tigers as a team just missed the qualifying for the field of 36.
The team in entirety will travel to Shreveport, La. for the USA Gymnastics National Championship Meet next weekend.
Annukka Almenoksa finished 10th on the balance beam with a 9.825 mark. The junior beat out over thirty competitors for Towson's highest placing in an individual event for the day. Almenoksa finished tied for 25th place on the floor exercise, 27th on the bars and 40th on the vault, with scores of 9.70, 9.65, and 9.55 respectively.
"I wasn't surprised by her performance at all," head coach Dick Filbert said. "Annukka is a competitor."
Coming off of three consecutive first place finishes, Almenoksa posted a 38.725 all-around score in the regional meet. In arguably her best season, Almenoksa recently earned a first place finish in the ECAC all-around competition, and scored the highest mark on the balance beam with a 9.925.
Almenoksa was joined at NCAA regionals by senior Decelia Willacy. The Tiger co-captain placed third at the ECAC meet to qualify for the regional competition, but would finish the day without any Top 20 finishes. She would place 27th in all-around competition with a score of 37.675. Willacy's best event was also the balance beam; she finished in a three-way tie for 22nd place with a score of 9.725.
Willacy was the Tigers' top performer of the season and the ECAC Gymnast of the Year, a title formerly held by senior teammate and co-captian Christina Ghani. Ghani also qualified for the meet, but could not compete due to injury.
"This says something about the team, to win the conference without Christina," Filbert said.
Almenoksa and Willacy were the sole Towson representatives at the meet. The Tigers as a team just missed the qualifying for the field of 36.
The team in entirety will travel to Shreveport, La. for the USA Gymnastics National Championship Meet next weekend.
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