March 7, 2007

PITTSBURGH - The Panthers are heading into a tough stretch this weekend as they'll spend the next three weeks on the road, facing top-25 teams. On Friday, March 9, Pitt will travel to No. 11 Arkansas for a quad meet with the Gym'Backs, No. 23 West Virginia and New Hampshire. This is the first meeting this season between Pitt (7-6, 3-1 EAGL) and Arkansas (5-10, 2-4 SEC). The Panthers have already gone up against West Virginia (16-7, 5-1 EAGL) and New Hampshire (10-6, 3-3 EAGL) with a loss to the Mountaineers and a win over the Wildcats. Pitt is coming off a successful home meet where the Panthers scored a season-high 194.275 and captured three of the event titles.

Pitt picked up two EAGL weekly awards on Tuesday as senior Andrea Arlotta (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest) was named Gymnast of the Week for the second time this season, and freshman Dani Bryan (Germantown, Md./Northwest) earned Specialist of the Week for her first league honor. Arlotta recorded a career-high 39.275 against Missouri and Central Michigan last weekend and tied Bryan for first on the floor exercise. In addition to her floor title, Bryan also picked up the win on the vault with a career-high 9.925. She currently leads the league on the vault with a regional-qualifying score (RQS) of 9.845, and her 9.925 is the highest score in the EAGL this season.

Other key contributors to the Panthers' success are Samantha DeBone (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) and Shannon McConnell (Allison Park, Pa./North Allegheny). DeBone won the balance beam competition last weekend, tying her career-high 9.900. She is ninth in the league on the balance beam with an RQS of 9.700. DeBone also ranks ninth in the EAGL on the uneven bars with an RQS of 9.740. McConnell has continued to put up big scores on both the vault and floor exercise in the last several competitions. She has scored above a 9.700 in the last four meets with career highs of 9.800 on both events.

The Gym'Backs are tied for 10th in the nation on the floor exercise and are 13th on the uneven bars. New Hampshire enters this weekend after posting a season-high 195.250 over Maryland last weekend. The meet is scheduled for 7 p.m., in the Barnhill Arena on Arkansas' campus.