The UNC gymnastics team posted its best team score in 18 years Saturday at NC State, winning 196.625-196.350.

“It was a fantastic competition,” said head coach Danna Durante. “Two teams battling back and forth. You could see one team hit, and the next team would just try to do that and better.”

Freshman star Lali Dekanoidze, fresh off winning yet another EAGL Gymnast of the Week award, won her fourth all-around title of the season with a 39.475. She won at least a share of three event titles, winning on beam and floor outright while sharing the vault title with teammate and fellow freshman Julia Knower. Knower is the reigning EAGL Freshman of the Week.

Dekanoidze set a career-high score on floor with a 9.90, and matched that on beam.

“I think they mentioned [Dekanoidze’s] name five or six times at the end,” Durante said. “Another 39.475, so incredible score. She just continues to do great things.”

It was an all-around strong performance from the Tar Heels. The team posted scores of 49 or above on all four events, the first time they have accomplished that this season. Knower, Kate Greene and Jay Weil all set career-bests on vault, while Jamie Shearer set a career-best on beam. With the win over the Wolfpack, UNC is now 6-0 against EAGL competition in 2022.

The team will celebrate Senior Day in its last home meet on Thursday, February 24 at 6:45 p.m. when West Virginia visits Carmichael Arena.

 

Featured image via UNC Gymnastics on Twitter

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Lighting and Video Board Upgrades Coming to Carmichael Arena
Carmichael Arena on the UNC campus is undergoing significant lighting and video board upgrades this summer, which the school says will create “an enhanced and exciting game day atmosphere.” The new lighting inside the arena, which has already been installed, is an LED system with the capability to make the arena “awash in Carolina blue […]
Career Highs Help UNC Gymnastics Defeats NC State in Home Opener
Program records and career highs were shattered Monday night in Carmichael Arena. The UNC gymnastics team won its dual meet against NC State in the program’s home opener and got standout performances from Lali Dekanoidze and Julia Knower. CAROLINA VICTORY!! The GymHeels post the highest score for a home opener in program history, beginning @EAGL_Gymnastics […]
UNC's Julia Knower Named WCGA Regional Gymnast of the Year
Following a breakout season for both herself and her Carolina gymnastics team, freshman Julia Knower was named the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Region Six Gymnast of the Year on Thursday. Julia Knower is the WCGA 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝟔 𝐆𝐲𝐦𝐧𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫 👑 pic.twitter.com/FPp99jWRgX — Carolina Gymnastics (@uncgymnastics) April 7, 2022 Knower was one of several […]
UNC Gymnastics Edges Temple in Dual Win
UNC gymnastics freshman star Lali Dekanoidze won another all-around title Saturday and set a new career-best score with a 39.550. The Tar Heels would need every last one of those points in a close dual win over Temple in Carmichael Arena. Tar Heels 𝐖𝐈𝐍!#GoHeels pic.twitter.com/mkLrIIZL80 — Carolina Gymnastics (@uncgymnastics) February 13, 2022 For Dekanoidze, it […]
UNC Gymnastics Takes First Place In Tri-Meet
The UNC gymnastics team, ranked No. 25 in the latest national poll, backed up that ranking by taking its first meet title of the season Friday night, winning a tri-meet in Carmichael Arena over Towson and Pittsburgh. 𝙃𝙀𝙀𝙇𝙎 𝙒𝙄𝙉 💥#GoHeels pic.twitter.com/XTkuEB6LhL — Carolina Gymnastics (@uncgymnastics) January 29, 2022 The Tar Heels and Tigers stayed close […]
UNC's Clay Lautt and Lali Dekanoidze Earn Weekly Recognition
Two UNC winter sport student-athletes were named Performers of the Week by their respective conferences. In wrestling, graduate Clay Lautt was named Co-Wrestler of the Week in the ACC after helping the Tar Heels to a 2-0 weekend on the mats. And in gymnastics, freshman Lali Dekanoidze was named the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) […]
UNC Gymnastics Opens 2022 Season On a High Note
First-year gymnastics head coach Danna Durante started her tenure at UNC with a bang Friday night, as the Tar Heels put together a program-best performance for a season-opener in front of a record crowd at Carmichael Arena. Carolina opens the 2022 season with the best season-opening score in program history! 💥#GoHeels pic.twitter.com/YQEpL6pkmZ — Carolina Gymnastics […]
UNC's Chloe Humphrey Wins Honda Sport Award for Lacrosse
UNC star freshman Chloe Humphrey has been named the 2025 winner of the Honda Sport Award for lacrosse. The Honda Sport Award honors the national players of the year in all collegiate women’s sports. Honda Humphrey 🤌 Chloe Humphrey is this year’s winner of the Honda Sport Award for Lacrosse! pic.twitter.com/VctEuZGEEB — UNC Women's Lacrosse […]
College Baseball Foundation Names UNC's Jake Knapp National Pitcher of the Year
UNC right-hander Jake Knapp has been named the National Pitcher of the Year by the College Baseball Foundation. 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 👏 Jake Knapp is the 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿. pic.twitter.com/uFaFnNZAWy — Carolina Baseball (@DiamondHeels) June 13, 2025 Knapp missed the entirety of the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery during the […]
Chansky's Notebook: Run it Back
UNC will be playing in Rupp Arena this December. And for a college basketball purist, that’s about as good as it gets.
›