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.

Dekanoidze was competing for the first time in 11 months after suffering a season-ending injury last February. The sophomore didn’t miss a beat, with her score of 9.975 on uneven bars breaking a program record. Dekanoidze also matched a career high on vault (9.900).

Sophomore Julia Knower took the all-around title with a career-high score of 39.450, which is also eighth-best all-around score in program history. Knower’s 9.850 on bars and 9.925 on floor (best in the meet) were her best scores ever in those events. She also posted the meet’s best score on balance beam (9.875).

Carolina’s team score of 196.225 is the program’s best ever in a home opener, beating a mark previously set in 2002.

After two meets in four days, the Tar Heels will now be off for two weeks until a tri-meet with Yale and UW-Stout in Carmichael Arena on January 23. The meet is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Ainsley Fauth

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.

‹

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 […]

Multiple UNC Teams Post Perfect Academic Progress Rates, New Report Says

Several UNC sports programs posted perfect single-year and multi-year academic progress rates for the 2024-25 academic year, according to the NCAA’s latest report. Academic progress rate (APR) is used to track performance of scholarship students who compete on varsity teams, and the score measures eligibility and retention each semester. A perfect score is 1000, and […]

UNC Wrestling Beats No. 17 Stanford, Claims Share of ACC Regular-Season Title

Carolina earned a 24-9 win at No. 17 Stanford Friday night in California in its ACC regular-season finale. With the win, the Tar Heels improved to 5-1 in league competition and clinched a share of the ACC regular-season title for the first time since the 2018-19 season. UNC finished in a three-way tie in the […]

UNC Wrestler Charged With Felony Assault, Suspended from Team

UNC wrestler Jace Palmer has been charged with felony aggravated assault after punching a fellow student. An incident report from the Chapel Hill Police Department says the assault took place on Monday afternoon at 828 Purefoy Road in Chapel Hill, near the intersection with Howell Street south of the UNC campus. According to court records, […]

Former National Champion Rob Koll Named UNC Wrestling Head Coach

Rob Koll, who won a national championship in 1988 for the Tar Heels, has been named the head coach of the UNC wrestling program. Koll is the seventh head coach in team history and has previously been the head coach at both Stanford and Cornell. Coming home to lead the Tar Heels 🏡🐏 Join us […]

Coleman Scott Resigns as UNC Wrestling Head Coach; Tony Ramos Reportedly Named Interim

UNC wrestling head coach Coleman Scott has stepped down from his position, effective immediately. Scott will reportedly return to his alma mater Oklahoma State to serve as associate head coach. 🚨🚨🚨 Coleman Scott has informed his team at UNC that he’s out and will be heading west to Oklahoma State where he will serve as […]

UNC's Erin Matson and Austin O'Connor Named 2023 Patterson Medal Winners

Erin Matson and Austin O’Connor have been named as the 2023 winners of UNC’s Patterson Medal, which honors the school’s most outstanding student-athletes. Matson played five seasons with the UNC field hockey program and ended four of them — including her final campaign in 2022 — as a national champion. Matson’s career accomplishments place her […]

UNC's Austin O'Connor Wins 2nd Career Wrestling National Championship

UNC wrestler Austin O’Connor capped off a brilliant college career Saturday night, winning his second career national title at the NCAA Championships in Tulsa. Austin O’Connor: 𝑵𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑨𝑳 𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑴𝑷𝑰𝑶𝑵.#GoHeels | #TogetherWeWin pic.twitter.com/Q2ghRZXYhC — UNC Wrestling (@UNCWrestling) March 18, 2023 O’Connor won the 157-pound title by defeating Penn State’s Levi Haines 6-2 in the championship round. He […]

Austin O'Connor Wins 3rd Career ACC Championship

In his sixth and final season with the UNC wrestling program, Austin O’Connor is still adding to his trophy case. O’Connor won his third career ACC championship on Sunday, defeating Virginia Tech’s Bryce Andonian for the 157-pound title. O’Connor’s previous two titles each came in the 149-pound class. 𝗔𝗖𝗖 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗜𝗢𝗡. O'Connor wins the 157-pound title, […]

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 […]

›