Gymnastics, (Women)
From GWUEncyc
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Dedication, discipline and desire are definitely in the vocabulary of every gymnast. At GW, those words mean more than the tremendous success the Colonial Women are experiencing in competition. The balance beam, uneven parallel bars, floor exercise are examples of only a few of the activities that portray the skill, art and grace that is gymnastics. Women's gymnastics began at GW in 1974. In 1985 the team finished with a 13-6 record. Senior Cara Hennessey advanced to the NCAA Southeastern Regional Championships placing third in All-around competition. The GW gymnastics team continues to rewrite GW record books.
Coach Margie Foster Cunningham was named NCAA Southern Region "Coach of the Year" in 1991 and 1992. In addition to qualifying for NCAA regional competition for the past six years, Cunningham's teams have won the Athletic Department's academic team award eight of the last nine years since Cunningham was named coach in 1985 (as of 1994).
In 1994, the gymnastics team ended the season with a 29-16 overall, 2nd/Atlantic 10 and 6th NCAA Southeast regional. This year Senior Nancy Akers returns to captain the Colonial Women. The gymnastics team finished with a record of 22-13 in 1995.
Margie Foster-Cunningham begins her 23rd year at the helm of The George Washington University Gymnastics program. As the longest tenured head coach at GW, Foster-Cunningham leads the Colonials into their fourth season as a member of the competitive East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) in 2008.
Foster-Cunningham led GW to a fifth-place finish out of eight squads at the 2005 EAGL Championships and helped three Colonials earn five All-EAGL accolades in GW's first year in the conference.
Prior to joining the EAGL, Foster-Cunningham experienced tremendous success with the Colonials in the Atlantic 10 Conference as she led GW to five consecutive league titles in the final five years of the A-10, and was voted Coach of the Year four times for her accomplishments. She also had the privilege to coach three A-10 Most Outstanding Performers and three Most Outstanding Rookie Performers.
After graduating from Penn State in 1982, Foster-Cunningham remained in University Park to work toward her master's degree in health and physical education at the Motor Learning/Motor Control Sports Research Institute. The A-10 Coach of the Year in 1988, 1998, 1999 and 2001, Foster-Cunningham's impact has been felt most in the Colonials' record book, having coached every gymnast in GW's Top 10 for each event.
As an athlete, Foster-Cunningham was a five-time All-America at Penn State and led the Nittany Lions to a national championship in 1980. That year she was a finalist for the prestigious Broderick Award, given to the most outstanding collegiate gymnast.
The Gloversville, NY, native represented the United States at the 1979 World University Games and helped the U.S. place third to mark its highest finish in the history of the Games at the time.
A board member on the NACGC for the past eight years, Foster-Cunningham also owns the Chantilly Academy of Gymnastics in Northern Virginia. She resides in Ashburn, VA, with her husband Jerry and their three children: Jeremiah (19), Jessica (17) and Connor (15).
Margie Foster-Cunningham begins her 22nd year at the helm of The George Washington University Gymnastics program. As the longest tenured head coach at GW, Foster-Cunningham leads the Colonials into their second season as a member of the competitive East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) in 2006.
Foster-Cunningham led GW to a fifth-place finish out of eight squads at the 2005 EAGL Championships and helped three Colonials earn five All-EAGL accolades in GW's first year in the conference.
Prior to joining the EAGL, Foster-Cunningham experienced tremendous success with the Colonials in the Atlantic 10 Conference as she led GW to five consecutive league titles in the final five years of the A-10, and was voted Coach of the Year four times for her accomplishments. She also had the privilege to coach three A-10 Most Outstanding Performers and three Most Outstanding Rookie Performers.
After graduating from Penn State in 1982, Foster-Cunningham remained in University Park to work toward her master's degree in health and physical education at the Motor Learning/Motor Control Sports Research Institute. The A-10 Coach of the Year in 1988, 1998, 1999 and 2001, Foster-Cunningham's impact has been felt most in the Colonials' record book, having coached every gymnast in GW's Top 10 for each event.
As an athlete, Foster-Cunningham was a five-time All-America at Penn State and led the Nittany Lions to a national championship in 1980. That year she was a finalist for the prestigious Broderick Award, given to the most outstanding collegiate gymnast.
The Gloversville, NY, native represented the United States at the 1979 World University Games and helped the U.S. place third to mark its highest finish in the history of the Games at the time.
A board member on the NACGC for the past eight years, Foster-Cunningham also owns the Chantilly Academy of Gymnastics in Northern Virginia. She resides in Ashburn, VA, with her husband Jerry and their three children: Jeremiah (19), Jessica (17) and Connor (15).
(From the website (2007): [1]
Document Information
Images: 1
Photographic Credit: Hatchet photos/RG0114
Author or Source: Cherry Tree; GW Sports Media Guides; Sports Information Office
Document Location: University Archives
Date Added to Encyclopedia: December 11, 2006
Prepared by: G. David Anderson, University Archivist and Historian
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