Kent State Gymnastics Looks to Get Back in Win Column Against Northern Illinois
2/17/2011 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
The No. 16 Kent State gymnastics team travels to Northern Illinois this Sunday (Feb. 20) with their sights aimed at getting back in the win column. Action gets underway from the Convocation Center at 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET).
LAST TIME OUT
The Kent State gymnastics team lost to Central Michigan, 195.100-194.875, last Saturday (Feb. 12) at the M.A.C. Center. The defeat was Kent State's first Mid-American Conference regular season loss since the 2007 when the Golden Flashes suffered a 195.775-195.200 setback to Central Michigan.
The Chippewas (10-1, 2-0 MAC) topped the Golden Flashes (7-2-1, 1-1 MAC) with team wins on the vault (49.125-48.675) and floor exercise (49.100-48.800). The two squads tied on the uneven bars (48.850) while Kent State earned a win on the balance beam (48.550-48.025).
RANKINGS UPDATE
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITIONNORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIESAll-Time Series: Kent State leads, 29-7.
Last Season: Kent State defeated Northern Illinois, 194.575-192.775, Feb. 19, 2010 at the M.A.C. Center.
Northern Illinois's 2011 Record: 1-5 (1-3 MAC)
Northern Illinois's 2011 MAC Predicted Finish: 4th
Northern Illinois Head Coach: Mark Sontag (Southeast Missouri State '97) - 11th Season
Northern Illinois Gymnast to Watch: Senior Holly Reichard (Palatine, Ill.), NIU's lone healthy all-arounder, had her top performance of the season as she totaled a 38.600 to take the all-around title in a 193.650-191.150 loss at Western Michigan last Sunday (Feb. 13). Reichard also earned the best score by any Huskie gymnast on uneven parallel bars in 2011 with a 9.725 to win that event. |
Kent State now owns the No. 16 spot in the national rankings. Rankings are based on a team's total season average score. The Flashes are the highest ranked team in the Mid-American Conference and third-highest ranked team in the central region behind Alabama and Ohio State.
2011 NCAA Gymnastics Top 25 (as of Feb. 14)
1. Florida – 197.150
2. Stanford – 196.650
3. Utah – 196.300
4. Oklahoma – 196.118
5. Georgia – 196.043
6. Alabama – 195.988
7. Oregon State– 195.896
8. Michigan – 195.779
9. UCLA – 195.575
10. Nebraska – 195.432
11. Boise State – 195.215
12. Arkansas – 195.204
13. Washington – 195.058Â
14. Ohio State – 194.958
15. Minnesota – 194.954
16. Kent State – 194.916
17. Illinois – 194.900
18. Penn State – 194.875
19. Denver – 194.854
20. Iowa – 194.789
21. LSU – 194.688
22. Auburn – 194.525
23. Iowa State – 194.500
24. Arizona – 194.417
25. North Carolina State – 194.342
As a team, the Flashes are also ranked sixth in uneven bars average score (49.025), 15th in balance beam average score (48.579) and 25th in vault average score (48.696). Individually, sophomore Lindsay Runyan (Maineville, Ohio) is ranked tied for eighth in the nation in uneven bars average score (9.863) while senior captain Christina Lenny (Broadview Heights, Ohio) is 25th in all-around average score (39.065), 10th in vault average score (9.880) and tied for 16th in uneven bars average score (9.845).
RUNYAN EARNS MAC CO-SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
Runyan earned her third MAC Specialist of the Week honor after winning on the uneven bars with a score of 9.825 and tying for second on the balance beam with a 9.725 in Kent State's meet against Central Michigan.
KENT STATE'S 2011 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS
Week 1 (Jan. 10) – Marie Case, Gymnast of the Week
Week 2 (Jan. 17) – Lindsay Runyan, Specialst of the Week
Week 3 (Jan. 24) – Christina Lenny, Gymnast of the Week
                         Lauren Wozniak, Specialist of the Week
Week 4 (Jan. 31) – Lindsay Runyan, Specialist of the Week
Week 6 (Feb. 14) – Lindsay Runyan, Co-Specialist of the Week
WHAT'S NEXT
The Golden Flashes host their annual 'Flip For The Cure' meet against Western Michigan on Feb. 20.
