Marcy Levine Lucas (born 1/16/1960)[1] is an American former gymnast. She competed for the Penn State Nittany Lions and won a national championship in 1979. She was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 2024.
 Levine in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 1/16/1960 Wilmington, Delaware | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Pennsylvania State University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | c. 1967–1982 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Gymnastics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Penn State Nittany Lions | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Biography
editLevine is Jewish.[2] She began practicing gymnastics at age seven.[1] She grew up in Wilmington, Delaware, and was a standout gymnast at Brandywine High School in Wilmington, being at age 15 the second Delaware resident to qualify for the National Elite Gymnastics Championships.[3][4] She won five state championships at Brandywine and reached the U.S. Masters Championships, a step in qualifying for the Olympic Games, at age 16 in 1976.[4][5]
Levine did not make the 1976 U.S. Olympic squad, but performed well enough to be chosen to represent the country at the 1976 Sanlam Cup.[6] In 1977, she competed at the Maccabiah Games and won a gold medal in the balance beam exercise while being a bronze medalist in the all-around event.[1][7] In 1978, Levine's senior year at Brandywine, she competed at the Eastern Regional tournament and won four events.[5]
After having graduated from Brandywine, Levine began attending Pennsylvania State University in 1979 with a full athletic scholarship.[8] She competed for the Penn State Nittany Lions gymnastics team and won both the regional championship and the AIAW national championship in the floor event as a freshman.[5][9] She then won bronze in the floor event and was fourth in the all-around event at the 1980 national championship, did not compete in the 1981 competition due to injuries, and helped Penn State finish third in the NCAA finals in 1982.[5] Levine was a finalist for the America Award as a senior in 1982, given to those who show the best "performance in gymnastics scholarship and leadership".[5] She retired following the 1982 championships.[10]
Levine moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, after her competitive career and opened a gymnastics school.[11] She was married and has two children; her husband, Tim, predeceased her in 2006.[9] Levine was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 2024.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b c Fredman, Alan (April 17, 1980). "Penn State woman is stand-up (fall-down) comic". Southern Illinoisan. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Gaston, Janice (November 28, 1994). "Celebrating Difference". Winston-Salem Journal. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wilmington gymnast qualifies for nationals". The Morning News. March 17, 1975. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Finocchiaro, Ray (March 21, 1976). "Marcy is 4 years ahead of schedule". The Morning News. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "2024 HOF Inductees". Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame. March 11, 2024.
- ^ Lloyd, Janice (October 27, 1976). "Marcy Levine Will Fulfill Dream As U.S. Gymnastic Representative". The Evening Journal. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "U.S. Athletes Excel At Games in Israel". The New York Times. Associated Press. July 15, 1977.
- ^ Zabitka, Matt (March 21, 1979). "Delaware athletes are gym dandies". The Morning News. p. 34 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Where Are They Now?". Penn State Nittany Lions. March 22, 2011.
- ^ Gildea, Dennis (March 29, 1982). "State's Marcy Levine Is 'Officially Retired'". Centre Daily Times. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Northpoint Gymnastics Offers Top Facilities". Winston-Salem Journal. November 6, 1984. p. 30 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Holveck, Brandon (March 13, 2024). "Power lifter, Phillie Phanatic, sportswriter among Delaware Sports Hall of Fame 2024 class". The News Journal.
