Saturday’s Gymnastics Results
Kent State 194.500, Pittsburgh 193.700
Northern Illinois 194.050, Bowling Green 193.000
Illinois 196.050, Western Michigan 196.000, West Virginia 105.050, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 192.475
Stories courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Kent State 194.500, Pittsburgh 193.700
PITTSBURGH – The Kent State gymnastics team won its season opener on the road at Pitt on Saturday, beating the Panthers 194.500-193.700. The Golden Flashes spoiled Pitt's first home meet since the ACC started sponsoring gymnastics.
The Flashes won on bars, beam, and floor and the squad posted strong performances across the board on all four events. Heidi Schultz shined in her Kent State debut, earning top-three finishes on all of her routines.
ROTATION 1 – BARS
The Flashes came out of the gates firing as Brynne Tsipis, Heidi Schultz, and Karlie Franz all scored 9.825 to start the season, all tying for third in the event. Nastia Rudnitskaya posted a team-high 9.850 in her first collegiate vault to place second. Kent State totaled a 49.100 in the first rotation.
ROTATION 2 – VAULT
Kent State tallied a 48.175 in the second rotation. Charlie Behner led the way for the Flashes, posting a 9.725 in her first meet in blue and gold and earning a third-place finish. Rudnitskaya and Kennedy Weinpert both scored 9.675.
ROTATION 3 – FLOOR
As was the story for much of last season, Kent State shined brightest on floor. Franz and Alyssa Guns tallied back-to-back scores of 9.900 to lead the team and take home the event title. Schultz and Zoe Rankin earned a 9.850 apiece in their first collegiate routines, tying for third place. The Flashes posted their highest total of the afternoon in the third rotation, earning a 49.325.
ROTATION 4 – BEAM
Schultz led the way for the Flashes on beam, posting a 9.825 to tie for the event title, while Sarah Haxton placed third with a 9.725. Guns earned a 9.675 in her second routine of the day. Kent State wrapped up the meet with a 47.950 team score.
FLASHES BY EVENT
Vault
Charlie Behner 9.725 (3rd)
Nastia Rudnitskaya – 9.675
Kennedy Weinpert – 9.675
Bars
Nastia Rudnitskaya – 9.850 (2nd)
Brynne Tsipis – 9.825 (t-3rd)
Heidi Schultz – 9.825 (t-3rd)
Karlie Franz – 9.825 (t-3rd)
Beam
Heidi Schultz – 9.825 (t-1st)
Sarah Haxton – 9.750 (3rd)
Alyssa Guns – 9.675
Floor
Alyssa Guns – 9.900 (t-1st)
Karlie Franz – 9.900 (t-1st)
Zoe Rankin – 9.850 (t-3rd)
Heidi Schultz – 9.850 (t-3rd)
Kent State stays on the road following its season opener, heading to the Tennessee Collegiate Classic on Friday, Jan. 19. The Flashes will compete against MAC foes Ball State and Northern Illinois as well as Fisk, Southeast Missouri State, and Wisconsin-Whitewater. Last season, Kent State finished third at the meet with a team total of 195.925, beating SEMO and Fisk but falling to Ball State and Lindenwood.
The Flashes host their first home meet of the season on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 1 p.m. against West Virginia. The home opener will also be the annual Pink Meet, this year with a "Barbie" twist. Fans can purchase their single-meet and season tickets for the 2024 season here.
Northern Illinois 194.050, Bowling Green 193.000
Bowling Green, Ohio - The Northern Illinois University gymnastics team defeated the Bowling Green Falcons Saturday in Bowling Green in the team's first Mid-American Conference contest of 2024.
The Huskies (1-2-1, 1-0 MAC) posted a season-high score of 194.050 to Bowling Green's (0-2, 0-1 MAC) 193.000.
The Huskies bounced back from last week's quad-meet at Missouri where the team finished with 192.775 and in a tie for third place.
Senior Alyssa Al-Ashari (Lansing, Mich. / Grand Ledge) scored a 9.850 on bars which was good for the highest in the meet.
The Huskies started the day on uneven bars and were paced by Al-Ashari with a meet leading 9.850. Sophomore Hannah Drielick (Tampa, Fla. / Sunlake) scored a 9.775, good for third place overall.
NIU then moved on to the vault where sophomore Kiera O'Shea (Norridge, Ill. / Ridgewood) scored a 9.800 and tied for second place. The Huskies took the lead after the second rotation as they outscored BGSU 48.775 to 47.450 following completion of the vault and bars events.
In the third rotation, the Huskies moved to the floor exercise where they extended their lead, scoring 48.550 to the Falcons' 48.375 on balance beam. Junior Emmalise Nock (Rosemount, Minn./Rosemount) and freshman Mikayla Brown (Suwanee, Ga./Peachtree Ridge) led the way for the floor squad with scores of 9.775 to tie for second.
NIU closed out the meet and sealed the win on the balance beam. Al-Ashari, Samantha Nickle (Yorktown, Va. / York) and Brown each scored a 9.750. Senior Olivia Lynd (West Chester, Ohio/Ursuline Academy) competed in the exhibition slot and scored a 9.775.
NIU will prepare to head to Nashville and compete in the USA Invitational on Friday, January 19. NIU will be one of six teams competing at the event.
Illinois 196.050, Western Michigan 196.000, West Virginia 105.050, Wisconsin-Oshkosh 192.475
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Western Michigan gymnastics team picked up wins over West Virginia and UW-Oshkosh at the Illinois Quad Meet on Saturday afternoon.
The host Illini beat the field with a 196.500. The Broncos (3-1) improved from their first meet of the season and scored a 196.500. WVU finished with a 195.050 and UWO had a 192.475.
Fifth-year senior Payton Murphy earned her first all-around win of the season, finishing with a 39.200. Senior Dani Petrousek was the winner on floor with a 9.900, matching her previous career-best score. Floor was WMU's top event on the day, scoring a 49.275. Cassie St. Clair, Murphy and Ally Schaupp each had a 9.850. Amanda Gruber had a 9.825 and Donnakathryn Roy had a 9.800. For Schaupp, it was her first official collegiate action and first time anchoring the floor.
WMU's second-best event was vault, with a 49.050. Sarah Moravansky, Murphy and Abby Singh all had 9.825's, while Josie Thomas had a 9.800. Petrousek had a 9.775 and freshman Hannah Milton rounded out the lineup with a 9.725.
Moravansky was the top Bronco on bars with a 9.900, finishing in second place behind Illinois' Kaitlyn Ewald and her 9.950. Singh tied for sixth with a 9.850, while Petrousek and Roy each had a 9.750. Murphy and Breckin Quoss also competed, both scoring a 9.725.
Murphy and Gigi Singh tied for the team's best score on beam, both posting 9.800's.
Western Michigan makes the short trip to Battle Creek for the Next Level Gymnastics Podium Challenge at Kellogg Arena on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Broncos will compete against George Washington and Illinois State.
