With ‘the best team’ in tow, Temple has a marathon approach to the gymnastics season

Temple’s gymnastics team is approaching its 2023 season as a marathon.

Slow starts are not expected to hinder this team. Specifically not the 1-2 record the team got off to after losses to host Pittsburgh and Penn State at Fitzgerald Field House last Friday. Temple’s sole win came against Penn.

Squandering those two matchups could have no long-term impact on the program because postseason appearances are determined by five qualifying scores, instead of wins and losses.

Temple coach Josh Nilson has won three conference championships, in two different conferences, since 2018. However, regular-season and conference success have not translated to consistent postseason appearances.

“The name of the game for [the] postseason is consistency,” Nilson said. “Last year, on a good day we were a postseason team. But the problem is, we had a good day and then the next weekend was a strange weekend.”

The last time Temple was selected to the NCAA Regionals was in 2021, but COVID-19 protocols removed the Owls from the first round of competition.

Two years later, Nilson’s goal is to earn a top-28 spot, which is a first-round bye in April’s regional tournament. But similar to a marathon, finishing in the top 28 is a process of endurance and patience.

“And then it’s just, we are going to come back to the table next week and make an improvement here and there,” Nilson said about the team’s mindset before the first meet. “That’s how we are going to approach the whole season.”

The Owls are expected to compete with the top teams in the East Atlantic Gymnastics League. Head coaches picked Temple to finish tied for second in the 2023 EAGL preseason poll.

“It was really special,” junior Brooke Donabedian said. “It means a lot to us because we are starting to see that Temple gymnastics is getting noticed more, and our potential is being more realized.”

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Last season, Temple finished third in the EAGL with a 17-12 record. In addition to postseason appearances, winning the league is important to Nilson and his team.

The EAGL is a competitive group of eight teams, including North Carolina and North Carolina State. As the long season approaches, Temple is not concerned about outside distractions or future opponents.

Temple gymnasts plan to focus on their “bubble.”

“Staying within ourselves and not letting everything else get brought into what we’re doing,” graduate student Julianna Roland said. “Nothing that the other teams are doing has any effect on us because we control our gymnastics.”

Temple’s roster and coaching staff are different compared to 2022. Two full-time coaching assistants have joined Nilson’s staff for the first time in Hilary Steele and Sophia Hyderally. The Owls also added eight freshman gymnasts.

Those freshmen are expected to learn from an experienced group of returning gymnasts. From the preseason, Nilson noted improvements from the parallel bars and beam units, which struggled at times in 2022.

Nilson’s coaching additions and roster improvements gave him a sense of relief.

“It’s nice to be able to take a deep breath,” Nilson said. “I joke sometimes about how this was a big lift … but it was. I came in here with a vision of what I wanted the program to be. I think at times I was the only one who believed it could be that. Now, knowing that I have a team and staff that all believe it, [it] is refreshing.”

The schedule could be challenging, especially during the first half of the season with only two home meets scheduled at McGonigle Hall. This road stretch might be favorable, though, because Nilson considers his squad to be a strong away team. Plus, three away meets are automatically calculated into the qualifying score for an NCAA Regionals bid.

Nilson is confident about his team, and his vision for what the program could be is already in full swing.

“I feel [calmer] as [a] coach than I ever felt,” Nilson said. “This is the best team Temple’s ever had.”