Maryland gymnastics opened its 2026 season with a massive 195.700 win at a quad meet at home against George Washington, New Hampshire and Long Island University. 

Maryland started the meet on Vault, where both Katrina Mendez-Abolnik and Logan Buckmon scored 9.850, the second-highest scores of the meet on vault. 

Buckmon stuck her vault, helping the Terps earn a score of 49.000, leaving them in first place after the first event.

The Terps’ next event was the uneven bars, where Gianna Ruffing took home the highest score of 9.850 with her debut on bars. 

Chelsey Dennis took home the second-highest score of 9.825. Ruffing, Dennis, Sarah Saville and Megan Bingham all stuck their dismounts. Maryland once again scored 49.000, leading with a score of 98.000. 

The Terps’ third event was the Balance Beam. Madeline Komoroski, with the help of her triple series, tied for the highest score with George Washington’s Deana Sheremeta, scoring a 9.850.

Emily Defrees stuck her landing and earned a score of 9.725 on her collegiate debut. Dennis showed off her second stick of the night, helping Maryland to a score of 48.625 and an overall score of 146.625, keeping them firmly in the lead. 

For the final rotation of the night, the Terps went to the Floor Exercise. Komoroski and Defrees took home the same highest scores of 9.850. The Terps scored a 49.075, their highest of the meet. They ended the night with a 195.700, over a point ahead of second place. Aine Reade took home third in the All Around with a score of 38.875. 

Maryland welcomed 11 newcomers to the team this year, with five freshmen and six transfers. 

“Already blown away with how much they’ve grown as a team,” head coach Brett Nelligan“great, nice, high starting point” of the team as they look to next weekend’s competition. 

Senior Madeline Komoroski, who holds the program record for the highest beam score of a 9.950 at an NCAA Regional and is the NCAA Pennsylvania Regional Champion, has truly stepped into her role as a leader on the team, with her voice almost gone from all the cheering she did throughout the meet.

“It’s my role now to get people hyped up,” Komoroski said. “Today was a really fun experience and everybody can’t wait to compete again next weekend.”

Maryland will start the season with a perfect 3-0 record after a dominant night at Xfinity Center. The Terps held the highest scores on all four events, a good omen for their Big 10 opener on Jan. 17th against Washington.