2017 Gymnastics Season Outlook

1/4/2017 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics

Jan. 4, 2017

What's next? It is a legitimate question for the 2017 George Washington gymnastics team.

Over the past five years the program has improved (and made) leaps and bounds throughout its conference, capturing the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) championship in 2015, and has stormed into the national conversation as one of the most dangerous teams in both the Southeast Region and the national picture.

The Colonials are coming off yet another record-setting campaign in 2016 that saw the program set a new GW postseason scoring record, capture a bevy of end-of-season conference awards, secure a pair of EAGL event championships and make a statement in a pair of nationally-televised meets that brought millions of eyes to the sparkling leotards and pure grit and determination that has been instilled by head coach Margie Foster Cunningham

So the question begs to be answered. What is next for the 2017 Colonials?

"I know what we are trying to do, and we're trying to be at NCAA Nationals this year," said 32nd-year head coach Margie Foster-Cunningham.

A trip to nationals is the next logical step for a program that is coming off two consecutive NCAA Regionals appearances, and the 12th appearance overall in program history. It is the familiarity with competing on the national stage that will play an enormous role in pushing the Colonials to the next level.

"Going back to regionals is like going on a vacation to a place you have been before and you are ready to do new things when you get there," said Foster-Cunningham. "It's this precursive faith that I talk a lot about with my team, it's faith ahead of the evidence. We've been building that over the last few years. We have done enough, and had enough success, that we now have the faith that we can be there. It's their posture, it's their approach, it's their mindset. And it's not driven by the coaches, it's driven by the team. That is a really great feeling to have, it just feels really good."

The Colonials have plenty of star power with 2016 EAGL Gymnast of the Year Cami Drouin-Allaire, 2016 EAGL Vault Champion and three-time First Team All-Conference pick Jillian Winstanley, 2016 EAGL Uneven Bars Co-Champion Alex Zois, five-time First Team All-Conference Pick Chelsea Raineri and three-time First Team All-Conference selection Alex DeMoura.

But the true strength of the team is in its depth of a roster that is 17 gymnasts deep.

"Having the preparation and the depth on this team is so critical," said Foster-Cunningham. "We talk about the top six and then the next four. We're going to win with not the top six, but with the strength of the next four on each event. They are going to visit the lineup on and off this season for whatever reason. As a coaching staff, we have been focusing on the development of the next kid in."

GW earned its highest preseason ranking in program history when it came in at No. 25 in the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches Preseason Poll.

"The team feels like they have earned it," said Foster-Cunningham of the preseason ranking. "They put the sweat into that and the spotlight is on us with a little more respect and legitimacy. A little more of 'here they come again' and we're really ready to notch it up another level. They are so focused and ready to start the season. They know we need to earn it every weekend."

GW opens the 2017 season at Saturday's Little Boston Invitational against Yale. The Colonials will compete in four home events this season and face a total of seven teams that competed at NCAA Regionals in 2016, including NCAA National Championship Runner Up LSU and national semifinalist Stanford. For more on the 2017 schedule, click here.

SENIORS
Alex DeMoura - Garden City, N.Y./Garden City - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on DeMoura: Alex is in the best shape of her career and is stronger than ever. She came back in competition shape and is ready to come out of the gates really strong. We are still looking at the all-around for her and it is going to be hard to beat her out of the lineup. She is very focused and knows this is the end of her career and she plans on landing at the top of the mountain at the end. We have very strong leadership from her and fellow captain Chelsea Raineri.

Chelsea Raineri - Telford, Pa./Boyertown Area Senior - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Raineri: Chelsea isn't afraid to address the elephant in the room and it has been such a strength for us. As far as gymnastics goes, she's not doing balance beam at all but looks stellar on the other three events. We went back to her old floor routine and added a full-in pike which is an E-Level skill that she has been wanting to get into her routine. Chelsea, along with Alex, just keeps getting better. They are at the top of their game gymnastics-wise and I love that.

Kaila Solomon - Woodcliff Lake, N.J./Pascack Hills - Balance Beam, Floor Exercise
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Solomon: Kaila has looked really strong on balance beam. We have done two intrasquad meets and she hit both of her routines like a pro. I'm loving how she is attacking every opportunity to show that she belongs in the lineup. She's got it right now and will be a beautiful routine as a backup for us.

Kaitlin Cowles - Canton, Conn./Canton - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Cowles: Kaitlin is unfortunately done as she had shoulder surgery and will miss this season. She has been a huge part of our operation behind the scenes and she will continue on in that role. She is a big part of this team and we need her.

JUNIORS
Cami Drouin-Allaire - Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Drouin-Allaire: Cami has a new floor routine that is really sassy. She is adding a full-in, which is tremendous. Her vault is looking stronger than ever. On beam, we've added some difficulty there with a switch-leap, switch-side, which is a C-D combination which is a very valuable combo. We have just upped the level. And it is not like she hasn't had 10.0 start values before, but this is quality gymnastics done well and showing superior skill. She is ready to go.

Jillian Winstanley - Arlington, Mass./Arlington - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Winstanley: We have changed her bar routine around a little bit and she also has a new floor routine which is completely her. She loves it and it is really upbeat and fun to watch. Again, she has a lot of D and E Level passes and they are very, very strong. On beam it's the same thing, just very strong. We also upgraded bars and her vault is the Yurchenko 1.5, which is the top of top as far as NCAA routines go right now.

Sara Mermelstein - North Port, N.Y./North Port Senior - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Mermelstein: Sara is coming on strong and looking like a real veteran every day. She is there to get the work done and she does not mess around. She competed in three events for us and is knocking on the door for uneven bars, her routine is almost ready to go. It is quality. This kid can compete, and she is a competitor every time I put her up there and I just know she is going to battle and go after it. That kind of spirit in our lineup has been invaluable.

Madeline Seibold - Tampa, Fla./Home School - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Seibold: Mimi is looking good right now and is real strong on beam and floor and working hard on bars and vault. That's been a lot to do, trying to work the all-around, but she has the talent to do it. Her beam and bars are very strong yet again. She is more of a seasoned athlete now as an upperclassman.

Alex Zois - Crofton, Md./Archbishop Spalding - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Zois: Alex is planning on doing a fifth year with us after losing her freshman year to injury. She just has ice in her veins. She knows how to be all business and get the job done. You'll see the maturity and confidence in her gymnastics this year. She is really strong on vault, bars and beam and we are working on her floor routine. She is tumbling right now. She may be a little bit of a late bloomer on floor but we're going to keep going and working it this year because she is such a solid competitor.

Liz Pfeiler - Decatur, Ga./The Paideia School - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Pfeiler: Liz is also working all-around right now. I love the push from her and she is very motivated. I think it is really helping her other events. Her bars and beam are beautiful. Just spectacular. She's got a brand new floor routine and everything is up to the level of a 10.0 start. Her vault as well - I'm liking it a lot.

Brooke Bray - West Palm Beach, Fla./The King's Academy/Auburn - Balance Beam, Floor Exercise
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Bray: I give Brooke so much credit because it is so difficult to transfer and come into a new team. She was open to accepting how we do things here and embraced the culture. The girls love her. She has been a great addition to the team and is working bars and floor for us right now. She could compete in either one of those events. She came from a top-six program in the county at Auburn. Right now we are working on her consistency and getting used to the amount of repetitions that we do on a daily basis. Her floor is very nice and her beam is very good.

SOPHOMORES
Yurina Harada - Ridgewood, N.J./Ridgewood - Vault, Uneven Bars, Floor Exercise
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Harada: Yurina is working bars and floor right now. She is looking good on floor and has some unique elements in there that I think are going to have an 'oh wow' factor that we need in there, to give it some spice. She is looking very strong. For her bars, we've added an E-level release and I can see her being ready in February.

Julia McLaughlin - Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on McLaughlin: Julia is knocking on the door in three events. On vault she is doing her Yurchenko Full, which is a really strong vault for our lineup. Our backups last year were doing layouts, so a Yurchenko Full might get her into the lineup. Her bars are very strong and very consistent. She is able to stick her dismount with a 10.0 start value so we may see her in there as well, along with beam.

FRESHMEN
Cydney Crasa - Stony Brook, N.Y./Ward Melville - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Crasa: She is a ball of fire. I love her passion and she has so much fun competing that people will have fun just watching her. Right now she is super excited and energetic and we are working on reigning her in a little bit to get her to an optimum performance level. She is getting the idea and starting to control her power and energy. Her floor is just spectacular. We just need to work on her consistency factor. That is why it is hard for some of these youngsters to get into the lineup. Not because they don't have the skills, but the consistency level. She is working on floor, beam and vault right now.

Jenna Horner - Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie - Vault, Balance Beam, Floor Exercise
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Horner: Jenna is a real surprise as a walk-on and she comes in with lots of intention. She is proud to be on this team and believes her gymnastics is going to get better while she is here. You can just see the advancement on beam and floor and she has been doing a really great job vaulting for us. I really like what she contributes to the team and she has been a really nice addition for us.

Nicole Rogalski - Andover, Mass./Andover - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Rogalski: Nicole is very talented. Bars, beam and floor are the events we are really pushing her with. Her technique is exceptional and she has a great attitude. She understands what she needs to do in order to crack into the lineups and I have confidence in her that she will get to where we need her to be. Her balance beam and uneven bars are just so beautiful.

Ryan Finkelstein - Purchase, N.Y./Solomon Schnechter School - All-Around
Coach Foster-Cunningham on Finkelstein: Ryan is a walk-on that came here with an injury and is bit behind right now. She is working on bars and floor right now and that will continue to be a focus for her moving forward.