EAGL Championship Session Two

Recap

The Big Storyline: The top teams in the EAGL conference did not catch the fall-everywhere bug from the first session and instead provided a thriller. It was a three-way race down to the last routine between N.C. State, North Carolina, and Towson. A stellar beam rotation by Towson propelled the Tigers to the top spot of the podium.

Postseason Implications: Like the teams in the earlier session, New Hampshire’s season ends here. The rest of the teams—North Carolina, Towson, and North Carolina State—will compete at regionals. All three teams are ranked in the play-in zone, but due to geographic placement rules, Towson will likely get a bye to the second round. Individuals in this session have also qualified to regionals, including two star all-arounders in Emily Shepard and Julia Knower. Chloe Negrete qualified on her three events for N.C. State as well. Multiple bars gurus are set to qualify as well, including eighth-ranked Lali Dekanoidze.

Records: This was Towson’s first EAGL title.

Conference Awards

• Gymnast of the Year: Emily Shepard (NC State)
• Rookie of the Year: Syd Morris (LIU)
• Co-Specialists of the Year: Mara Titarsolej (LIU) and Lali Dekanoidze (North Carolina)
• Senior Gymnast of the Year: Deja Chambliss (George Washington)
• Head Coach of the Year: Randy Lane (LIU)
• Assistant Coach of the Year: Olivia Courtney (LIU)
• Scholar Athlete of the Year: Lauren Bolen (Towson)

Preview

• No. 30 N.C. State | 196.430 NQS | 197.225 season high
• No. 31 Towson | 196.375 NQS | 196.775 season high
• No. 36 North Carolina | 196.220 NQS | 196.475 season high
• No. 48 New Hampshire | 195.510 NQS | 196.550 season high

If you can only watch one meet, here’s why it should be this one… The EAGL championship is always one that comes down to who hits on the day. The past two seasons, N.C. State came in as the favorite and failed to come out on top. With this being N.C. State’s last EAGL championship before moving to the ACC in 2024, winning will be the goal. Towson also has a great shot at the title, which is one the Tigers have never won, and New Hampshire has never lost the EAGL title at home. This one is bound to be interesting. 

If this is one of many meets you’ll be watching, don’t miss this… If you have to tune in to only one rotation, make it the second rotation at 7:30 p.m. ET. Towson will be on bars, where the Tigers are ranked 16th in the country. In that rotation N.C. State will also be on beam, where Chloe Negrete and Emily Shepard are ones to watch while Alexis Ortega competes a back handspring to Onodi acrobatic series. North Carolina will also be on floor, where the rotation will be capped off by Julia Knower’s dynamic set.

What’s the bigger picture to keep an eye on? N.C. State and Towson have both locked in regionals spots, but North Carolina is one of the last bubble teams, fighting with four other teams for three spots. The Tar Heels do not control their own destiny and will be watching the scores from San Jose State closely.

By the Numbers

Past Champions

• N.C. State: 6 titles, last won in 2018
• North Carolina: 5 titles, last won in 2011
• New Hampshire: 3 titles, last won in 2019
• George Washington: 3 titles, last won in 2022
• Pittsburgh: 1 title, last won in 2016
• Temple: 1 title, last won in 2021
• Towson: 0 titles
• LIU: 0 titles

Records Watch

• Team: 196.750 | Vault: 49.525 | Bars: 49.325 | Beam: 49.325 | Floor: 49.575

Last Time Out

George Washington pulled out the upset at home to claim its third EAGL title.