Springfield, Mass. – March 29, 2016 – Following an impressive year for Marissa DeAngelo (Brookfield, Conn.) of the Springfield College women’s gymnastics program, the junior continued to be recognized for her dominant season, as she was named the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches / Women (NACGC/W) Division III East Region Gymnast of the Year, announced by the conference offices following the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championships earlier this month.
Additionally, for the second-straight year, Springfield College’s Director of Athletics, Dr. Craig Poisson, was named the NACGC/W Division III East Region Administrator of the Year, honored for his commitment to the sport of women’s gymnastics at the Division III level.
DeAngelo, who became the first student-athlete in program history to win NCGA East Gymnast of the Year honors, led the Pride to a season-best team score of 187.525 at the NCGA Regionals, including a season-high balance beam rotational score of 47.775. At the NCGA Championships from March 17-18 at The College at Brockport, DeAngelo became a three-time All-American, as she took eighth place in the all-around competition, benefiting from a pair of school record-breaking performances in the all-around and on vault. On Saturday night in the individual event championships, DeAngelo took fifth in the vault when she repeated her school-record score of 9.725, before taking 11th in the balance beam with a 9.575 to pick up her second and third All-America honor of the weekend. Last season, DeAngelo was a two-time NCGA All-American in the all-around and on vault.
Garnering NACGC/W Division III East Gymnast of the Year honors, DeAngelo becomes the second gymnast in program history to earn the award, as Lauren Pocius ’15 was named following the 2013-14 season.
Wrapping up her first season at the helm of the women’s gymnastics program at Springfield College, head coach Jenn Najuch has now had her student-athletes earn four All-America honors, two NCGA All-American in Academics awards, NCGA East Gymnast of the Year honors and an NACGC/W Division III East Gymnast of the Year.