University of Georgia Athletics
Gymdogs Savor Stegeman Sendoff
April 03, 2016 | Gymnastics
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
Once she stuck the landing Brandie Jay paused for a moment or two, her hands gripping her thighs, as the crowd inside Stegeman Coliseum on Saturday afternoon roared with approval. Even watching from 50 feet away, you could tell this was an emotional moment.
Not only had the Georgia gymnast just nailed her bar routine in the NCAA Athens Regional, helping the Gymdogs advance the NCAA Championships, but the senior had also stuck a difficult dismount in a difficult routine in her final competitive act in Stegeman.
Georgia coach Danna Durante was flashing 10 fingers in the air, pushing for a perfect score. Almost. Jay's final routine at Stegeman scored a 9.95.
"I've kind of been struggling on the bars this week, just with the landings," Jay said afterward. "I've been a little bit sore and a little bit tired. It was just extra special to get the stick. It's always exciting to get it, but just after the week, you know, a little bit of struggle, it's always sweeter."
Jay's big finish touched Durante, as well.
"To finish off that way here, obviously it was very emotional and it's just always nice when you see the reward of all the hard work," she said. "And to do it in Stegeman, for Regionals, last event, it makes it even more special."
It was a special Stegeman sendoff for Jay and fellow seniors Brittany Rogers and Mary Beth Box. They all contributed mightily to the ninth-ranked Gymdogs' score of 196.850, which put Georgia in second place (the top two teams advance) behind third-ranked LSU (197.300).
Jay and Rogers did all four events and placed second and third, respectively, in the all-around competition. Box, meanwhile, had strong showings on the beam and the floor exercise.
Georgia had already had its Senior Night, but the seniors knew that Regionals were still to come. Saturday was really it on their home floor.
"I think it hit me Wednesday night when I was sitting there in bed and I almost started crying because I was like, oh my gosh, this is the last time I truly get to compete in Stegeman," Box said.
During their post-meet news conference, when they went up individually to talk to the media, Rogers made sure to get a photo of Box at the table. And then Box did the same for Rogers.
Box then offered up the first question to Rogers: "How did you feel about the meet?"
"Well, Mary Beth, I think it went well," Rogers said. "It was amazing being at home, definitely. Having the crowd that was louder than usual was amazing and it's definitely humbling, being in Stegeman and wearing a Georgia leotard, so any experience that I get in Stegeman is an amazing one, regardless of the outcome.
"But the fact that we did have a great outcome and qualified for nationals, I think it was exactly what we needed to do."
Twice Rogers came through with strong performances right after the Gymdog that went before her suffered a fall. It happened on Georgia's first two events of the afternoon, the balance beam and then the floor.
After Natalie Vaculik fell from the beam, resulting in a score of 9.10, Rogers responded by posting a clean and confident 9.825.
After Vivi Babalis slipped and fell during her floor routine, going in the second spot just as Vaculik did, Rogers delivered again, this time with a 9.80.
Four other Gymdogs had better scores on floor, including Box's 9.85 and the team-leading 9.90s for Gigi Marino and Jay, but after a fall, when the mood and momentum can go south, as Georgia has seen at times this season with trouble on beam, Rogers didn't let it happen.
"I think I've actually grown a lot since freshman year in regard to reacting to the person in front of me," Rogers said. "Definitely if you would have asked me freshman year, I would have performed probably differently or had a different mindset, but I think I've grown as an athlete to not really take in what they've done and just do what I'm supposed to do.
"Their actions can't control mine and I think that's what I'm proud of tonight, keeping that neutral mindset that I have and not letting anything hinder what I'm about to do."
The seniors said farewell to Stegeman and the home crowd the best way they could, performing at very high levels and sending the Gymdogs forward in the NCAAs.
"Usually I keep my emotions in check pretty well and I'm pretty emotionally stable for the team, but I lost it for a little bit and was excited," Jay said. "Like I said, I was glad to go out of Stegeman like that."
John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
