Pittsburgh, Pa. (PTTP) — The Pitt Gymnastics team is off to a stellar start this season.
In just a few short weeks, the panther ladies have captured two EAGL rookie of the week titles, two student-athletes of the week, and shattered their very own beam record. Freshmen duo Hallie Copperwheat from Leighton-Buzzard, England and Sidney Washington from Ann Arbor, Michigan have had an electric NCAA debut. After withdrawing from the Keystone Classic Meet at the beginning of
January due to protocols, the panther ladies hosted the University of Maryland and Long Island
University on January sixteenth.
First-year standout Hallie Copperwheat earned the honor of EAGLE co-rookie of the week after
her debut against UMD and LIU. Sharing the honor with Towson’s Clara Hong, Copperwheat
posted scores over nine point seven zero zero zero in all but one event, earning the highest all-around
score for the Panthers and placing second.
I was fortunate enough to sit down with Hallie this week, Hallie, were you surprised to be named
EAGL co-rookie of the week?
Copperwheat stated that she “was really surprised…” when she heard the news. “We’ve worked
so hard this preseason so to come out and show a small glimpse of what we are capable of was
really rewarding” said Hallie.
Copperwheat is currently ranked 62nd amongst the College Gymnastics Association.
Following this meet, fellow first-year Sidney Washington was named as one of Pitt’s student-athletes of the week. Washington made her debut earning the win for the floor exercise, third
overall in the all-around, and three podium finishes. Sidney’s dad was the one who had informed
her about her recognition, shortly after her phone was flooded with congratulatory texts.
For their second meet, the Panthers traveled to Denton, Texas to take on Texas Woman’s
University. In Denton, the Panthers ladies shattered the previous beam school record from 2018
Following this meet, Sidney Washington was announced as Pitt’s second EAGL rookie of the week this season. Washington earned a nine-point-seven-five-zero or higher in all four of her events setting her up to take home the all-around title with the highest all-around score for the Panthers this season. (39.250).
Sidney is currently ranked seventy-third.
Most recently the Panthers traveled to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to take on UNC and Towson.
Sidney and Hallie once again had great performances. Sidney earned the highest vault score for
the Panthers so far this season with a career-high 9.875. While Hallie finished third in the all-around
competition, earning two-career high scores on floor and vault exercises. The Panthers
current record is 2-3 overall and they are ranked number forty-six amongst the College
Gymnastics Association poll.
You can catch Hallie, Sidney and the rest of your panther gymnasts this Sunday, February sixth at
two o’clock PM. The Panthers are scheduled to host West Virginia, North Carolina State (EAGL)
and Alaska, Anchorage. Information regarding Pitt Women’s Gymnastics can be found
www.pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/womens-gymnastics.