SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Eleanor LaFountain and Amanda Palladino each secured All-America status to put a fine bow on the Ursinus College gymnastics team's season at the NCGA individual championships.
LaFountain tied for fifth on the floor exercise, while Palladino tied for eighth on the balance beam.
An All-American for the first time, LaFountain saved her best routine for last in notching a career-best 9.825 to edge her previous personal record of 9.800 from the East Region championships. Springfield's Tali Twomey took home national champion honors with a 9.900, and Brockport's Candis Kowalik was second at 9.8750.
LaFountain was exceptional on the floor all season, recording at least a 9.600 in all but one meet and at least a 9.750 in six of them.
Palladino capped her phenomenal career with a third career All-America certificate on the beam. The Bears' co-captain, who finished 11th as a freshman and second as a sophomore, earned a 9.6750 – including a 9.75 from one judge – to just make the top-8 cut required for All-America status. The score was tied for the second-highest of the season for Palladino, who shared eighth place with Cortland's Bailey Gildemeyer.
Wisconsin-La Crosse's Sam Weyker nabbed individual champion honors with a 9.8250, with Wisconsin-Whitewater's Kate Mierow in second with a 9.7750.
A night after collecting All-America recognition with a seventh-place showing in the all-around competition, senior Heather Brubaker finished out her career by placing 15th on the vault with a 9.4250.