Trio of Flashes Earn All-MAC Gymnastics Honors
3/15/2017 12:01:00 PM | Gymnastics
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Three Kent State gymnasts have been named All-Mid-American Conference, the league office announced on Wednesday. Junior Rachel Stypinski is a first team honoree, while seniors Jordan Hardison and Skyelee Lamano are second team honorees.
The Golden Flashes' three honorees are the most in the conference. All three are part of Kent State's floor exercise lineup that is No. 16 in the country with a RQS of 49.125.
"We are very pleased for Rachel, Skyelee and Jordan," said head coach Brice Biggin. "These are three young ladies who have been extremely instrumental in leading our team this year. They have all worked extremely hard and it is nice to see their hard work pay off with all-conference recognition."
Stypinski earned first team honors for the third consecutive year after posting the conference's highest RQS for all-around (39.065), floor (9.930) and beam (9.910). She ranks ninth in the country on floor and 11th on beam. Her all-around score of 39.525 vs. Western Michigan on January 20 is tied for the fourth-highest mark in Kent State history. Stypinski has posted top-10 program scores on floor (9.975) and beam (9.950, twice). She registered 21 first-place finishes and was twice named MAC Gymnast of the Week.
Hardison repeats as a second team honoree with a 9.840 RQS on vault that ranks third in the MAC. She upgraded to a more difficult Yurchenko tucked one-and-a-half vault for her senior season and is Kent State's top-ranked competitor in the event as part of lineup that has jumped 16 spots from last year to No. 31 in the national rankings. In six conference meets, Hardison took first three times with two second-place finishes. Her RQS of 9.850 on floor ranks fourth in the conference.
Lamano is third in the conference with a 9.860 RQS on floor. Â She has scored a 9.800 or higher in eight of nine meets.
The Flashes travel to Bowling Green this weekend for the 2017 MAC Gymnastics Championships on Saturday. Competition is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.
Be sure to follow the Kent State gymnastics team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the squad.
All-MAC First Team
Jovannah East, Bowling Green
Kendall Valentin, Eastern Michigan
Rachel Stypinski, Kent State
All-MAC Second Team
Lauren Feely, Bowling Green
Katy Clements, Central Michigan
Catie Conrad, Eastern Michigan
Jordan Hardison, Kent State
Skyelee Lamano, Kent State
Jamyra Carter, Northern Illinois
Anna Corbett, Western Michigan
Rachael Underwood, Western Michigan
