O’Connor and Zeffiro to compete in NCAA

Victories in college sports often come down to small margins, especially this time of year,… Victories in college sports often come down to small margins, especially this time of year, when it seems like there is a basketball game decided by one point on television every day, breaking the hearts of the losing school, coaches and, most of all, players.

The Pitt gymnastics team certainly doesn’t need to be told how devastating one point can be. So much less can be just as heartbreaking.

When NCAA regional qualifying scores came out last week, Pitt was left on the outside looking in by the smallest possible margin — 0.005 points — ending its year without the postseason appearance the Panthers sought all season.

“It’s not even a fall … that’s one little misstep, one little step out of bounds, one stumble on a landing, even just one judge’s bad decision,” said head coach Debbie Yohman, on just how close her team was to extending its season.

Pitt was beaten to the finish line by East Atlantic Gymnastics League rival New Hampshire, despite finishing ahead of the Wildcats in the EAGL championships. New Hampshire beat the Panthers in a dual meet on Jan. 31, in Concord, N.H.

The NCAA’s team qualifying procedure takes into account the best six scores of a team’s season — three of which must be away or neutral venue meets — and calculates a qualifying score from those six top scores.

The top 18 teams in the nation are seeded and dispersed in groups of three to regionals nationwide, where they compete, along with the three next best teams in that geographic region.

Also qualifying for the Northeast Regional — to be held at Pennsylvania State University this Saturday — were Michigan and host Penn State. Seeded into the Northeast Region were Georgia, Iowa State and Missouri.

But while Pitt as a team will not compete in the NCAAs this year, two individual Panthers qualified. Senior Diandra O’Connor will compete this weekend in the all-around competition, while fellow senior Alyse Zeffiro will participate in the floor exercise and vault.

The top five all-around gymnasts in a region not on a qualifying team are invited, allowing O’Connor — the top such gymnast in the Northeast — to participate. Likewise, the best individual on each apparatus not on a qualifying team is invited. Zeffiro’s scores put her atop the Northeast in both her events.

To advance to the national competition, O’Connor — who is fourth regionally and 71st nationally — must be one of the top two all-around gymnasts whose team was not one of the two teams that will advance to nationals.

Zeffiro, on the other hand, faces a tougher road to nationals, although her coach disagreed.

“Alyse can do it on floor, because she’s gotten a 10 before, she’s beaten most the people she’s competing against, and she’s confident right now,” Yohman said of her senior specialist.

For Zeffiro, who is ranked No. 1 regionally and 10th nationally on the floor, to advance as a specialist, she must win each of her events. Zeffiro is also ranked third in the region and 48th nationally on vault.

The Northeast Regional is being held Saturday at Penn State’s Rec Hall, beginning at 6 p.m.