Tribe Gymnast Receives Weekly ECAC Award

Senior Brittany Gibbs Took Three Individual Titles in Win over JMU

02/07/06 4:00PM

WILLIAMSBURG - William and Mary senior gymnast Brittany Gibbs (West Chester, Pa.) has been named the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week as announced by the league office this afternoon.

Gibbs captured three individual titles on Friday night to lead the Tribe to a narrow, 184.875-183.900, victory over state and ECAC-rival James Madison at Godwin Hall in Harrisonburg. In the Tribe’s first dual meet victory of the season, Gibbs continued the spectacular start to her senior campaign, placing first on vault and bars, while sharing top honors on floor, an event she also shared the individual title in against George Washington on Jan. 29. Gibbs now has four individual event wins to her credit, including two in the floor exercise, where she hasn’t finished any lower than fourth through four competitions this season.

Gibbs’ winning score of 9.700 on bars highlighted an outstanding team performance in the event, as W&M swept the top-five positions en route to a season-high score of 47.725. The Tribe was also particularly impressive on vault against the Dukes, as W&M recorded the three top scores in the event led by Gibbs’ season-best 9.700, while Gibbs’ score of 9.725 matched JMU’s Nicole Simmons for top honors on floor.

Gibbs is the second Tribe gymnast to earn a weekly award from the ECAC this season, as fellow senior Kate Magee (McLean, Va.) received the ECAC Coaches Choice Award after tying for sixth on beam (9.650) at the season-opening George Washington Invitational on Jan. 12.

The College returns to action on Friday night, competing in the annual Hearts Invitational at N.C. State University against a strong field that includes the host-Wolfpack, Auburn and Pittsburgh.