Bridgeport Gymnastics Makes History

Mar 25, 2013 by Anne Phillips

For the fifth consecutive season, the University of Bridgeport women's gymnastics team has won the ECAC Division II Women's Gymnastics Title. In front of a home crowd, the Purple Knights dominated the competition with a team score of 195.875 over Southern Connecticut State University 191.450 and West Chester 187.70. Watch meet videos here.

What's more impressive is that based on their 2013 National Ranking, the Purple Knights have become just the second non-Division I institution to qualify to the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Regionals as a team since the current non-divisional format (no NCAA Division I, II or III championship just a single championship) was implemented in 1987. Seattle Pacific University is the other non-Division I school to qualify as the Falcons went in 1988.

The top 36 nationally ranked teams are selected for the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Regionals, and in the latest rankings, Bridgeport checks in at an all time high #29 with an RQS of 195.485. After narrowly missing qualifying last season, head coach Byron Knox and his team made Regionals their mission for 2013.

Coach Knox talks about winning the conference title and qualifying to Regionals:

Regional "training camp" is indeed underway in Connecticut.

It was announced Monday that UB will now travel to Gainesville, Florida and the University of Florida to compete in the 2013 NCAA Regionals that will take place on Saturday, April 6, 2013. Joining the Purple Knights and the host Gators in the Gainesville Regional are the University of Minnesota, Auburn, the University of Maryland and the University of Pittsburgh. Action will begin at 6:00 p.m. on April 6.

The top two teams and the top two all-around competitors (who are not on an advancing team) from each regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships in Los Angeles, California, April 19-21, hosted by UCLA. In addition, the event winners at each regional site will advance to the national championships (in that event only) if they are not part of a qualifying team or an all-around qualifier.

Regardless of whether or not they advance to NCAA Nationals, UB will look to win their fifth straight USAG Collegiate National Championship title April 11-13 in Sherveport, LA.

Bridgeport is led by senior all arounder and former Spanish National Team Member Monica Mesalles Sallares and 2013 ECAC D2 Athlete of the Year Sasha Tsikhanovich who has really blossomed in her sophomore season. Tsikhanovich is currently ranked 25th in the national all around rankings and won the ECAC D2 all around title with a 39.350. Mesalles Sallares competed as an individual in last year's Regional Championships and has been a huge factor in getting her team to believe they could qualify.

Watch Tsikhanovich's 9.95 floor routine from the 2013 ECAC D2 Championships:

Watch more video of ECAC Division 2s on gymnastike.org

The Purple Knights have already made history but coach Knox has made it clear that they have even higher expectations, "We're not satisifed with just getting there. We want to compete with the other five teams on the floor." The team chemistry is evident and they are a fun group to watch. They have strong potential to qualify a couple individuals onto NCAA Nationals with hit routines in Gainesville. Keep an eye on the underdogs in purple.