Rutgers Gymnastics Delivers Statement Win Over No. 24 Maryland with Season-Best Performance
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Rutgers gymnastics didn’t just show up on Saturday night - they showed out. Behind a season-high team score of 196.175, the Scarlet Knights toppled No. 24 Maryland on the road, putting together their most complete meet of the year and closing strong with back-to-back 49+ scores on floor and beam.
This wasn’t just a win - it was a statement. And at the heart of it all was senior captain Gabrielle Dildy, who turned in a performance that will be remembered for a long time in Piscataway.
Dildy’s Career Night
Dildy was locked in from the first event and never looked back, posting a career-best all-around score of 39.425. That number isn’t just a personal milestone - it’s the seventh-best all-around score in Rutgers history and the highest by a Scarlet Knight since Hannah Joyner’s 39.525 in March 2023. Dildy placed in the top three on every apparatus and won the floor outright with a 9.925, the highest individual event score by a Rutgers gymnast this season.
She was the anchor Rutgers needed - consistent, composed, and clutch - and her all-around dominance set the tone for a team that looked dialed in from start to finish.
Event-by-Event Breakdown
Bars - 48.950 (Tied Season High)
Rutgers opened on bars and overcame an early stumble with a resilient finish.
After a fall in the leadoff spot, the Knights rattled off four straight routines of 9.8 or better. Dildy led the charge with a career-high 9.850, good for second overall.
Elliot Goldsmith wasn’t far behind, setting a new personal best at 9.825. Matis Rains and Reagan Schenkel also came through with big scores, with Schenkel notching a career-high 9.825 of her own.
Vault - 48.950 (Tied Season High)
The Scarlet Knights matched their bars score on vault, showing depth and poise.
Rachael Riley delivered her best vault of the season with a 9.825, tying Dildy for the team lead in the event. Freshman Vivienne Larsen made her mark too, posting a career-high 9.775 in just her second event of the night.
Floor - 49.225 (Season High)
This is where Rutgers really separated itself.
The floor rotation was electric, highlighted by a pair of standout routines from Dildy and Emily Leese. Dildy’s 9.925 was not only a career high, it was the top score of the entire meet on any event.
Leese followed with a 9.900, tying her career best and helping push Rutgers into the lead heading into the final rotation. Larsen, making her collegiate floor debut, chipped in with a solid 9.775 in the second spot.
Beam - 49.050 (Season High)
Rutgers closed out the night with their most poised beam performance of the season.
Delaney Adrian got things rolling with a 9.825, and the team never looked back. Riley and Dildy matched that score, while Keeley Smith tied her career high with a 9.800.
The Scarlet Knights hit every routine and walked off the beam knowing they’d done enough to seal the win - and then some.
Notable Performances
- Gabrielle Dildy: 39.425 all-around (career high), 9.925 on floor (career high), 9.850 on bars (career high), 9.825 on beam (tied season high), 9.825 on vault (T-3rd overall)
- Emily Leese: 9.900 on floor (tied career high), 9.775 on beam (season high)
- Rachael Riley: 9.825 on vault (season high), 9.825 on beam
- Vivienne Larsen: 9.775 on vault (career high), 9.775 on floor (collegiate debut)
- Elliot Goldsmith: 9.825 on bars (career high)
- Reagan Schenkel: 9.825 on bars (career high)
- Keeley Smith: 9.800 on beam (tied career high)
- Matis Rains: 9.800 on bars (tied career high)
What’s Next
With momentum building, Rutgers heads back home to Jersey Mike’s Arena for a showdown with No. 21 Iowa. The dual meet is set for Saturday at 2 p.m., and if the Scarlet Knights can carry this level of execution into next weekend, they’ll be a tough out for anyone in the Big Ten.
This team is finding its rhythm - and with Dildy leading the charge, Rutgers gymnastics is starting to look like a squad that believes it can compete with the best.