NC State gymnastics reaches new heights

Wolfpack gymnastics saw its season come to an end on March 30 after a postseason run that failed to live up to the hype of its regular-season performance. The 2023 season saw the program reach new heights, including the highest score in a home opener in program history (196.375), the most-consecutive scores of 196.000-plus at seven and the best score in program history since 2000 coming on March 4 against Rutgers (197.225).

The Pack was led by a pair of seniors all season in Chloe Negrete and Emily Shepard. Negrete more than returned to form after missing the entire 2022 season with a ruptured Achilles, posting career highs on beam (9.950), floor (9.975) and tying her career best on the vault (9.900).

Shepard — who is already a decorated athlete having won Region 5 Gymnast of the Year and EAGL Gymnast of the Year in 2021 — kept up the flawless execution. Shepard also saw new career highs, earning a 9.950 on her floor routine against Rutgers that contributed to her career-best 39.550 all-around score.

Other gymnasts on the team, such as senior Alexis Ortega and sophomore Lauren Rutherford, contributed to a group that elevated the team score for the floor exercise all season, with both women setting career highs in that event.

Rutherford, who competes in every event except beam, was a breath of fresh air all year long. She steadily improved all season

— all of her scores of 9.900 or higher on the floor exercise came in the back half of the season. Rutherford has proven to be a capable anchor when necessary and will almost certainly fill that role when the time comes.

The Pack was no stranger to injuries but was truly able to adopt the “next woman up” mentality to keep the season going. Head coach Kim Landrus was forced to change the rotation early in the season after losing junior Madison Benson and graduate student Meredith Robinson to injury.

Landrus also made an effort to get younger gymnasts involved this year with a handful of first- and second-year gymnasts getting the opportunity to compete in exhibition. Sophomore Hailey Merchant proved to be a candidate for next year’s floor routine lineup, and freshman Meg Adler came on late, joining the vault lineup for the last two meets of the regular season.

NC State saw big wins over UNC-Chapel Hill, Rutgers, Temple and Pitt that heightened the Pack in its record and overall national ranking. NC State also got the opportunity to compete against top programs in Auburn, Florida and Oklahoma — witnessing what it takes to get to the next level. Despite the success, the red-and-white had some untimely poor performances. The pinnacle of underperformance came in the final meet of the year, which saw the Wolfpack get bounced out of the postseason after finishing below the 196.000 mark. NC State also finished with a 194.775 on Feb. 10, placing third in a quad meet.

The 13-11 finish is a slight step back from last year’s 16-10 record, but the final postseason result of a second-round regional championship exit is ultimately the same. This era of NC State gymnastics is coming to an end with Shepard, Ortega and Negrete having one year of eligibility left, but fans shouldn’t worry with Rutherford, Adler and Merchant still fresh into their respective collegiate careers. Next year will be telling of where the program is headed under the leadership of Landrus and her coaching staff.