March 28, 2008

MORGANTOWN, W. Va. - University of North Carolina sophomore Christine Nguyen (Plano, Texas) was honored with the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Gymnast of the Year award, announced at the annual EAGL Championships Banquet Friday evening at the Lakeview Resort in Morgantown, W. Va. Teammates Kara Wright and Karli Jones also earned first-team All-EAGL honors.

In 2008, Nguyen was named a first team All-EAGL member on all four events and in the all-around. She was honored as the EAGL Gymnast of the Week twice this season, on February 5th and 12th. As of March 24, Nguyen is ranked first in the balance beam and the all-around within the EAGL, holding a RQS of 39.240.

Wright, a sophomore from Virginia Beach, Va., earned first-team honors on the vault, balance beam, floor exercise and all-around. Jones, a freshman from Columbia, S.C., was first-team in the all-around and second-team on the floor exercise and balance beam.

Junior Jennifer Valby earned second-team honors on the vault and sophomore Tina Jacob was a second-team performer on the balance beam.

A total of 42 gymnasts earned first team All-EAGL honors in 2008. Gymnasts with a top eight Regional Qualifying Average within the EAGL (no tie breakers) on each event and in the all-around (listed by GymInfo as of March 17, 2008) qualified to the All-EAGL first teams.

Yearly EAGL Awards
Gymnast of the Year - Christine Nguygen (North Carolina)
Scholar-Athlete of the Year - Gretchen Kittelberger (Maryland)
Outstanding Senior Award - Leigha Hancock (NC State)
Rookie of the Year - Brittney Hardiman (NC State)

All-EAGL First Teams







VAULT
1.   Brittney Hardiman	NCSU	9.823
2.   Chelsi Tabor	WVU   	9.811
3.   Helena Diodati   	UNH   	9.805
4t.  Christine Nguyen	UNC    	9.797
4t.  Kristen Simpson	GWU	9.797
6.   Kara Wright	UNC 	9.791
7.   Justine Turner	UNH	9.789
8.   Leigha Hancock	NCSU	9.761
UNEVEN BARS
1.   Mehgan Morris	WVU 	9.836
2.   Taylor Seaman	NCSU	9.798
3.   Kelsey Lee		NCSU	9.777
4.   Helena Diodati	UNH	9.761
5.   Christine Nguyen	UNC	9.759
6.   Erica Watson	WVU	9.731
7.   Allison Dama	UMD	9.727
8t.  Alix Croop		PITT	9.707
8t.  Brittney Hardiman	NCSU	9.707
BALANCE BEAM
1.   Christine Nguyen	UNC	9.862
2.   Leigha Hancock	NCSU	9.786
3.   Talia Tossone	UMD	9.772
4.   Taryn LaFontain	UNH	9.743
5.   Brandi George	UMD	9.731
6t.  Mehgan Morris	WVU	9.709
6t.  Kara Wright	UNC	9.709
8.   Sarah Thompson	PITT	9.681
FLOOR EXERCISE
1.   Leigha Hancock	NCSU	9.816
2.   Mehgan Morris	WVU 	9.798
3.   Taylor Seaman	NCSU	9.775
4.   Kara Wright	UNC	9.766
5.   Amy Bieski		WVU	9.764
6.   Christine Nguyen	UNC	9.756
7.   Michele Brenner	UMD	9.752
8.   Leslie Delima	GWU	9.728
ALL AROUND
1.   Christine Nguyen	UNC	39.175
2.   Mehgan Morris	WVU	38.940
3.   Brittney Hardiman	NCSU	38.830
4.   Brandi George	UMD	38.828
5.   Kara Wright	UNC	38.806
6.   Karli Jones	UNC	38.637
7.   Heather Zolton	NCSU	38.627
8t.  Amy Bieski		WVU    	38.625
8t.  Kelsey Lee		NCSU	38.625