At a tough home meet this past weekend, the Terps showcased their strengths on vault and beam, improving both event totals from last week, but encountered growing pains on bars and floor.
Maryland has seen significant shifts in its roster since last year, as key contributors graduated or transferred. But in addition to the new cohort of freshmen, the Terps made major moves in the transfer portal to replenish any lingering holes in their lineups. Head coach Brett Nelligan spoke to the new team dynamic, “When you have eleven new faces on a 21-person roster…you’re almost starting from scratch.” Nelligan and the coaching staff have put in “a lot of work in the preseason…building team chemistry,” and saw that chemistry come into play this weekend during a particularly rough floor rotation. “I know that we’re a really good floor team. It just didn’t go our way tonight. But I said to the team… ‘nights like this benefit you more, because you’re really tested and you still came out on top.’ So we’ll use this as motivation going forward, because I know what they’re capable of,” Nelligan said. Nelligan’s confidence in his team is founded on their strengths not just as individual athletes, but as a supported, cohesive unit.
As one of the few returning lineup contributors, senior Maddie Komoroski feels as though her role on the team has shifted now that she’s in her fourth year. “I feel like I’m like a calm presence, so if somebody has…a rough time, I can go up and talk to them, let them know that they’re good, we all have their back,” she said. Not only has she grown to become a leader on the team, but Komoroski—a staple on beam and floor—worked hard this pre-season to train vault and bars. This year so far, she has debuted on bars and exhibitioned on vault, essentially preparing as an all-around competitor. “I felt the strongest that I ever felt coming into this year. I worked really hard over the summer, and [it] just kind of all fell into place,” she said. Komoroski has been a necessary component to the bars lineup, as the Terps return only a single routine from last year. She serves as a steady presence to anchor a bars squad with great but yet-untapped potential.
While this weekend may not have seen Maryland reach its full capabilities, Nelligan’s focus is on long-term success. It’s still early in the season with many chances for redemption, and with such an overhauled roster, Nelligan emphasizes that the team is working hard to “[prepare] for the second half of the season and for next year. We want to start getting some of these newcomers ready for the future,” he said. The interpersonal bonds the team has built will help carry them through until the end of the season, when the experienced seniors will pass the torch on to the next generation of Maryland gymnasts.
READ THIS NEXT: In the Heat of the Moment, Gators Stay “Calm and Confident” to Win SEC Opener
Article by Frances Leadman
