Gymnastics Travels to Cornell Sunday to Open 2026 Campaign
Purple Knights begin season with tri-meet against Ivy League foes.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – With a busy preseason officially in the books, the University of Bridgeport's gymnastics team will begin its 2026 campaign on Sunday at Cornell University. The Purple Knights will be taking on a pair of Ivy League foes as the University of Pennsylvania will also be in attendance for the tri-meet in Ithaca.
WHAT DOES THE 2026 SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE?
UB's road trip to Cornell will serve as the first of 10 regular-season meets on the schedule this winter. The Purple Knights will host three meets inside the Wheeler Recreation Center, beginning with an Alumni quad-meet on Jan. 24, followed by a dual against West Chester on Feb. 7 and the Senior Meet on March 15.
After the regular season, UB's postseason gets underway on March 21 at the 2026 Gymnastics East Conference Championship, which will also be held at Cornell.
The Purple Knights will then close out the season the following weekend, March 27-29, at the 2026 Women's Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship hosted by West Chester University.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST YEAR?
UB is coming off its best-ever finish at the Gymnastics East Conference Championships after placing third overall with a team score of 193.150. That mark led all Division II programs at the meet and also topped Division I opponents William & Mary, Cornell and Brown.
The Purple Knights' postseason momentum continued over to the national stage, where they finished third at the 2025 Women's Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championship (WCGNIC). UB totaled a team score of 193.600 at the WCGNIC, which stood as its third-highest score of the season.
During the regular season, the Purple Knights earned four meet victories. UB also recorded a season-best score of 194.0 on Senior Day which was part of a final NQS of 193.325.
WHO'S BACK FOR UB?
With 21 student-athletes returning from last season's roster, Bridgeport enters 2026 with one of the most experienced lineups in the GEC. Four of the Purple Knights' six All-GEC honorees from a year ago are back, led by senior Abby Kenney, who earned all-conference recognition on every event last season.
Juniors Nova Staruk and Emily Hernandez also return after standout vault campaigns that resulted in first-team and second-team All-GEC honors, respectively. Senior Maggie Coyle rounds out the group of returners after collecting second-team All-GEC accolades on floor last March.
Kenney, Staruk, Coyle and Hernandez each carried that conference success into the postseason with All-America honors at the WCGNIC. Kenney shined brightest during the team finals, recording her top all-around score of the season with a 39.125.
Kenney's remarkable junior campaign was further recognized when she was named the WCGA's Division II Co-Gymnast of the Year. Kenney also earned WCGA All-America distinction.
WHO'S NEW TO TOWN?
The Purple Knights welcome seven newcomers—six freshmen and one junior—who add depth and balance across all events. Bridgeport's incoming class features student-athletes from five different states (Florida, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and California), while freshman Delphine Desjardins joins the program from Quebec, Canada.
WHERE WERE THE PURPLE KNIGHTS PICKED?
UB was voted to finish fifth in the GEC's Preseason Coaches' Poll which was released on Dec. 16. The Purple Knights, who finished third last year, were slotted behind Penn, Yale, Brown and Cornell.
WHO LEADS THE PURPLE KNIGHTS?
Lorraine Galow ('11, '13) is in her fifth season as the head coach of the UB gymnastics program in 2025-26. One of the most accomplished gymnasts in program history, Galow previously served as a longtime assistant coach at her alma mater from 2011-12 and again from 2014-20, while also guiding the Purple Knights as the program's interim head coach during the fall of 2020.
Since taking over the program, Galow has overseen a period of consistent growth and competitive success for the Purple Knights. Bridgeport's steady rise over the past four seasons is highlighted by a program-best third-place finish at the 2025 GEC Championship. UB finished with a 193.325 NQS last season, nearly five points higher than its 2022 mark.
The program reached another milestone in 2024, when the Purple Knights recorded a 195.025 team score during a home tri-meet, the highest team total for Bridgeport since 2019.
WHAT ARE THE PURPLE KNIGHTS SAYING?! (Quotes)
Lorraine Galow – Head Coach, 5th Season
"Our senior class brings both experience and heart, and they've set a competitive standard that's driving our entire program forward. We're excited about returning athletes stepping into key lineup roles, along with new additions that will strengthen our depth and consistency across events.
This team has embraced the grind—locking in on the details, showing up with purpose, and holding themselves to a culture of positivity, accountability, and high expectations. We're ready to make our presence felt in the conference and compete with greater consistency every time we step onto the floor."
Abby Kenney - Senior
"We have worked so hard this preseason inside and outside of the gym, as well as doing a great job supporting each other. Since last season, this team has grown so much and has so much potential. We are in a really good place, and I am so excited to see what we accomplish this season!"
Samantha Krenzel – Senior
"I am excited for this team to show all the hard work we've put in this preseason and excel on the competition floor. We finished last season on a high note and are ready to pick up where we left off even stronger. This senior class has given so much heart, and the talent of our newcomers and reliability of our returners create the opportunity for us to have our most successful season yet!"
FOLLOW ALONG
For all information regarding Bridgeport Athletics, visit www.UBKnights.com and follow UB Athletics on Facebook (UBPurpleKnights), X (@UBPurpleKnights) and Instagram (@UBPurpleKnights).