One of the top gymnasts in the early years of the Tigers’ program, Nancy Kearns, competed as an all-around performer for four years. She was one of the top gymnasts ever to compete for Coach George McGinty, a 1991 inductee into the Towson University Athletic Hall of Fame.
In her four year career, Nancy competed as an all-around in all but one meet. A two-time All-East selection, she was the first Tiger gymnast to score 1,000 career points and she did it with a much different scoring system. She scored 1,019.17 points in her career from 1973 to 1977 and held the school record for career points until 1982.
A native of Timonium who graduated from Dulaney High School, Nancy qualified for the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national championships three times in her career. She was also honored as Towson’s Gymnast of the Year three times.
The AIAW was the governing organization for women’s intercollegiate athletics until 1982 when the NCAA started sponsoring women’s championships.
As a freshman in 1973, Nancy led the Tigers to an 8-3 record and a fourth place finish at the EAIAW Championship Meet. She also qualified for the AIWA nationals for the first time.
In her senior year, she set a school single-season record by scoring 381.25 points. In 1977, she led Towson to a 4-5 record and a tenth place showing at the EAIAW Meet.
At the time of her graduation, Nancy owned the school record with 33.90 all-around score. Her 9.00 vault score was the second-best mark in school history while her 8.80 score on bars was also a school record.
Currently a resident of Annapolis, MD., Nancy and her husband, Kevin, have been married for 37 years. Their oldest son, Lance, owns a Masters degree in Recreation. Their 29-year old daughter, Courtney, owns dual degrees. She earned a degree in Community Health from the University of Maryland and a degree in Nursing from Johns Hopkins University.
Nancy, who earned her degree in Sociology in 2000, from Towson, is currently a Sales Assistant at Anthony & Sylvan Pools.