By David F.P.

Brown Bears at Alaska Anchorage Seawolves
Friday, February 19th 7pm and Sunday, February 21st 2pm Anchorage, AK
(Sources: Troester, Athletic Sources, Eyewitness Account.)
Coverage of Brown on Gymnastike can be found here: [Jan 16] [Jan 24] [Feb 12] [Feb 14]

Coach Sara Carver-Milne returns to her alma mater with her Brown Bears to face Coach Paul Stoklos and the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves in what is not a short road trip by any means.

Brown leads Alaska 2-1 in their all time series and set two season highs last weekend, first on Friday with a 188.3, and then with a 188.550 on Sunday. Katie Goddard picked up a win on Sunday on the Floor Exercise, no easy task against Bridgeport and Penn. Teammate, Carli Wiesenfeld set a personal best on vault, and Goddard also had a personal best on Vault. Julia Meyer was named ECAC Rookie of the Week for her performance, and Goddard won the ECAC Coaches’ Choice Award.

Alaska Anchorage is looking for their first win of the season. UAA had a season high last weekend of 190.220 and Meagan Byrne, Kaelei Spoor, and Shakea Sanders all had career bests. Spoor set new career bests including a new addition to the school’s top 10 Beam scores all time thanks to a 9.8. She also set a new career high with a 9.75. The Seawolves set season highs on every event but Bars last weekend. Byrne also set a new career high in the All Around scoring a 37.375.

Brown Briefing

The Bears are ranked 8th in the USAG collegiate national rankings and in terms of event is 10th on Vault and Bars, 9th on Beam, and 3rd on Floor in USAGs.

Helen Segal is ranked 3rd on Floor in the USAG rankings, and Nicole Abdo is 16th. Izzy Kirkham-Lewitt is ranked 15th on Beam, and Emily Lutfey 16th. Also, Goddard is ranked 20th on Vault.

Brown does not have Vida Rivera this season due to injury and Segal was unavailable for last week’s meet (possibly for longer, no other information is available on injuries)

Chelsey Binkley and Victoria Zanelli both qualified for USAG Nationals last year. Freshmen Abdo, Lauren Hall, Emily Lutfey, Julia Meyer have all been in the lineup often this season. Goddard and Wiesenfeld are also stalwarts in the lineup in their sophomore year and fellow soph Lilly Siems competed in an exhibition last week.

Alaska Anchorage Briefing

Alaska Anchorage has 10 returning letter winners and it appears they didn’t lose anyone from last years 2009 MPSF Championship team.

Lauren Agostino is the 2009 MPSF Vault Champion, and holds the school record on Vault. She was all MPSF in 3 events. Her career bests are 9.9 on Vault, 9.75 on Beam, 9.825 on Floor, and 38.825 in the All Around.

Courtney Williams has career bests of 9.725 on Vault and Beam, 9.775 on Bars and a 38.325 career best in the All Around.

Leah Wilson made it to NCAA regionals last year and holds the school record in the All Around, and Balance Beam. She is the top Beam workers in 09 and All Around for Alaska-Anchorage. Her career bests on Vault is 9.8, Bars is 9.75, Beam is 9.825, Floor is 9.727, and All Around 38.975.

Kristy Boswell was the top Uneven Bars performer for the Seawolves in 09, and was the MPSF Bars champion. Her career bests were 9.8 on Bars, Beam 9.775, and in the All Around 37.425. She will not be available for this weekend’s meets due to injury however.

Meagan Byrne is the team Captain and has a career best of 9.725 on the Beam.

Micki Cole has career bests of 9.625 on Bars and 9.65 on Beam.

Kasey Fullerton led the Seawolves on the Floor two years ago, and has career bests on Vault of 9.725, Beam 9.75, and Floor 9.825.

Maria Puricelli has career bests on Vault of 9.725 and Bars 9.725.

Shakea Sanders was the tops among Seawolves on the floor in 2009. Her career best on Vault is 9.8, and on Floor its 9.825.

Kaelei Spoor has a career high of 9.8 on Beam, and 9.75 on Floor.

Jackie Thomas is a bars specialist and put up a 9.575 career best.

Team High Scoring

Brown: Team: 188.550, Vault 47.775, Bars 46.500, Beam 47.575, Floor 48.775
Alaska: Team: 190.200, Vault 48.475, Bars 47.900, Beam 47.750, Floor 48.125

Individual High Scoring

Vault:
Brown: Hall & Wiesenfeld 9.65, Lutfey 9.6, Goddard 9.575
Alaska: Sanders 9.8, Williams & Wilson 9.725, Spoor 9.675

Bars:
Brown: Meyer 9.7, Hall & Kirkham-Lewitt 9.45, Binkley 9
Alaska: Williams 9.725, Boswell 9.675, Puricelli 9.625

Beam:
Brown: Binkley & Meyer 9.7, Lutfey 9.675, Kirkham-Lewitt 9.6
Alaska: Spoor 9.8, Wilson 9.75, Fullerton 9.625

Floor:
Brown: Binkley 9.825, Segal 9.8, Goddard 9.75
Alaska: Fullerton & Sanders 9.8, Spoor 9.75, Byrne 9.4

All Around:
Brown: Binkley 37.875, Lutfey 37.750, Hall 36.875
Alaska: Wilson 37.9, Williams 37.4, Byrne 37.375