Thomas Jefferson gymnastics celebrates WPIAL, state titles

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 22, 2026 | 11:01 AM

Thomas Jefferson’s gymnastics team enjoyed yet another top-of-the-line season in 2025-26.

The TJ gymnasts won their second consecutive WPIAL championship, then went on to capture the state title.

“It’s a big accomplishment. We had a great season,” coach Jodi Cummings said. “TJ had a younger team this year, but they were led by two strong seniors, Nicole Parsons and Riley Barna.

“We came up short winning the section. North Allegheny won the section, and I think that made the girls want to win WPIALs even more. They are a tremendously talented group of girls.”

Along with Parsons and Barna, TJ’s team members consisted of sophomores Victoria Coughenour, Cam Noderer and Adam Wilson, and freshmen Danielle Parsons, Evelyn Coughenour and Maggie Handshue.

The Jaguars (142.209 points) edged out the Section 1 and 2 champions, Central Valley (140.887) and North Allegheny (140.525), in winning their fourth team championship in eight years.

“TJ also won the state meet,” Cummings said. “We had a fantastic meet and hit all routines we needed to for the win.

“TJ really shines on vault. I would say it’s our strongest event and what helps get us ahead in a tight meet. Then, staying on beam usually clinches the win.”

Thomas Jefferson and Baldwin train together in gymnastics at Premier Gym and both teams are coached by Cummings, whose assistants are Becky Revo and Kristen Weber.

Cummings, Revo and Weber coach a group of gymnasts from numerous school districts, including Baldwin, Thomas Jefferson, Oakland Catholic, Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park and Steel Valley.

“These kids have put a lot of hard work in,” Cummings said. “It’s not been an easy road. This year we have a younger (group), so we’ve had to put a lot of hard work in.”

“The competition was really tough,” Weber said. “We’re extremely proud.”

Two of the top individual performances by TJ gymnasts included a first-place finish on the vault by Wilson, with a 9.90 score, and a fifth-place finish on the floor exercise by the sophomore Coughenour.

“We teach our kids, you know, to go into every meet with a good attitude, good head on your shoulders, and try to hit 4 for 4,” Cummings said.

“And that’s what it all comes down to — if you can hit 4 for 4 and keep your kids levelheaded, they can accomplish everything they need to do and stay focused.”

Baldwin ended up in fourth place at both the WPIAL finals and state championships.

“Baldwin had a great season, as well,” Cummings said. “They only have six team members, but they put up a great fight. They qualified for WPIALs as the third team in our section and missed third place at states by eight-10ths of a point.

“These kids had a wonderful meet and did their best.”

Baldwin’s team members consisted of seniors Vivien Skalos, Lily Rock, Ella Scurry and Jewell Stevens, junior Charlotte Fauls and sophomore Paige Giglione.

Several other gymnasts who train at Premier advanced to the WPIAL championship meet, including Oakland Catholic junior Madeleine Wingerter, Bethel Park senior Lacey Hartman, Upper St Clair freshman Nora Rademaker-Dolan and Steel Valley sophomore Skylar Fitzgerald.

Wingerter won the advanced all-around title on the strength of three second-place finishes. She scored a 9.4 on the balance beam, which she believes is her strongest event.

Wingerter (37.145 points) defeated the likes of Freeport’s Andie Ehalt (36.7), Central Valley’s Bria Zelesnik (36.605), North Allegheny’s Hannah Seidl (36.5), Mt. Lebanon’s Meghan Dunn (36.292) and Burrell’s Syndaya Miller (36.225).

Defending champion Olivia Kovatch of Mt. Pleasant won the floor exercise with a score of 9.475. She ended up 12th in the all-around.

Ehalt won the bars event with a 9.675 score; Zelesnik earned gold on the beam with a 9.475.

Three runner-up finishes propelled Wingarter to the advanced division championship.

“I was really shocked,” Wingerter said, “but it feels really good.”

She scored a 9.4 on the balance beam, which she believed is her strongest event.

“I stuck my beam routine,” Wingerter said. “I’ve been struggling with that through practice, but it felt really good to finally stick it.”

Wingerter had the second-best scores on the floor (9.45) and bars (9.178).

Trib HSSN contributed to this article.

Tags: Baldwin, Thomas Jefferson