For the first time in 26 attempts, the Eastern Michigan
University women's gymnastics team won the Mid-American
Conference championship.
The Eagles posted a season-high team score of 194.525,
edging runner-up Kent State University by less then three-tenths
of a point. Kent State, who led EMU heading into
the final rotation, scored a 194.275. The victory marked
the second consecutive year the host team was crowned MAC
champions.
 |
MAC CHAMPS: The Eastern Michigan University
women's gymnastics team celebrates its first-ever
Mid-American Conference championship March 31 in
the Convocation Center. |
Central Michigan placed third with a 194.050; Ball State
was fourth at 193.400; Northern Illinois was fifth with
192.950; defending champion Western Michigan scored sixth
with 192.20; and Bowling Green rounded out the competition
with a seventh place finish, posting a score of 191.925.
Eastern Michigan was paced by junior Jolene Worley (Orlando,
Fla.), who notched a season-high 39.175
for the event title. Worley is EMU's first all-around
champion since Robin Loheide in 1993. Her individual effort
landed her on the All-MAC First Team.
The Eagles, as a team, posted season-high marks on the
bars (48.725), beam (48.350) and floor exercise (48.775).
After a first rotation bye, the Eagles started on the
beam where Worley's 9.825 third-place finish led the way.
In the floor exercise program, EMU had three top-10 finishers.
Freshman Mickayla Balow (Blaine, Minn.)
and Worley would tie for second place with a 9.80, and
junior specialist Tawna Bennett (Jacksonville, Fla.)
registered a seventh-place tie with a season-high 9.775.
On the vault portion, the Eagles were again led by Bennett,
who scored a 9.80, and Worley, who scored a 9.75, finishing
in second and sixth place, respectively.
EMU also placed three gymnasts in the top 10 on the bars.
Worley posted a 9.80 for second place; sophomore Monica
Lucas (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and senior captain
Rebecca Fuss (Orlando, Fla.) tied for fifth,
each registering a 9.75; and sophomore Duyen Zu Vuong (Ottawa,
Ontario) tied for 10th with a 9.725.
