No. 23 Kent State Gymnastics Sets Sights On 12th Conference Championship
3/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
The No. 23 Kent State gymnastics team takes at aim at winning the 12th conference title in program history on its archrivals home floor. The 2011 Mid-American Conference Championships get underway Saturday (March 19) at Central Michigan's McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, Mich. Action begins at 2 p.m.
KENT STATE MAC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
TEAM
The Golden Flashes have captured 11 MAC Championships since 1981, tied with Central Michigan for most in conference history. Seven of Kent State's championships have come under the direction of 20th-year head coach Brice Biggin. Kent State was last crowned conference champions in 2009.
KENT STATE'S 11 MAC TEAM TITLES
2009 • 194.500
2008 • 195.675
2005 • 195.000
2001 • 195.675
1997 • 194.550
1996 • 194.475
1994 • 189.175
1989 • 183.150
1988 • 176.600
1984 • 173.250
1981 • 138.000
INDIVIDUAL
Kent State claims the most MAC vault (12) and balance beam (10) champions and is tied with Central Michigan for most MAC uneven bars champs with 12. The Flashes also have had 12 MAC floor champions and four all-around champions.
Kent State enters Saturday's meet with plenty of championship experience on its roster. Senior Christina Lenny (Broadview Heights, Ohio) is the reigning vault and balance beam champion. She also won the vault title as a freshman in 2008. Junior Erin Rothrock (York, Pa.) won the MAC uneven bars crown last year.
KENT STATE'S INDIVIDUAL MAC CHAMPIONS BY EVENT (• indicates shared title)
All-Around
1988 • Dainty Hiser • 36.850
1994 • Michelle Naessig • 38.225
1996 • Shelly Stambaugh • 39.225
1997 • Michelle Naessig • 39.400
Vault
1986 • Chris Malis • *9.400
1988 • Marianne Darr • *9.250
1988 • Dainty Hiser • *9.250
1993 • Shelly Stambaugh • 9.800
1994 • Shelly Stambaugh • 9.800
1995 • Shelly Stambaugh • 9.875
1996 • Shelly Stambaugh • 10.000
1997 • Kelly Dezman • *9.875
1997 • Michelle Naessig • *9.875
2008 • Christina Lenny • 9.875
2010 • Christina Lenny • 9.825
Uneven Bars
1981 • Susie Baxter • 9.000
1984 • Cheri Roscover • 9.150
1986 • Alicia Kovalick • 9.350
1989 • Denise Simmons • *9.400
1990 • Amy Musgrove • 9.500
1996 • Michelle Naessig • 9.850
1997 • Michelle Naessig • *9.900
2000 • Heather Langham • *9.850
2007 • Kristin Peters • 9.875
2008 • Kristin Peters • *9.750
2008 • Lydia Barrett • *9.750
2010 • Erin Rothrock • 9.875
Balance Beam
1982 • Amy McKean • 9.000
1983 • Debbie Rose • 8.600
1984 • Kathy Collett • 9.000
1988 • Dainty Hiser • 9.450
1990 • Daphne Musgrove • 9.600
1994 • Shannon Gallagher • 9.700
2003 • April Zentko • *9.875
2005 • Erika Linnersten • 9.875
2007 • Kristin Peters • 9.900
2008 • Kristin Peters • 9.900
Floor Exercise
1983 • Kathy Collett • 9.000
1984 • Kathy Collett • 9.000
1994 • Rachael Coury • 9.775
2001 • Jenny Eckel • 9.900
2004 • Earline Feugill • *9.950
2005 • Phylicia Robertson • 9.900
2006 • Carrie Mayle • 9.850
2007 • Amy Cucinotta • 9.850
2008 • Rachel Stuck • 9.900
2009 • Lydia Barrett • *9.850
          Laci Hendress • *9.850
2010 • Christina Lenny • 9.850
LAST TIME OUT
The Kent State gymnastics team closed the 2011 regular season by earning a 194.900-194.025 victory over Eastern Michigan last Saturday (March 12) in a Mid-American Conference meet at Eastern Michigan's Convocation Center.
The Golden Flashes (11-2-1, 5-1 MAC) downed the Eagles in three of four events, winning on the vault (48.775-48.375), uneven bars (49.000-48.275) and balance beam (48.625-48.300).
LEADERS OF THE MAC PACK
Kent State dominated the top-10 scoring in the all-around and all four events through regular season action. Here is where the Flashes rank in the MAC based on regional qualifying score:
All-Around
1. Christina Lenny • 39.240
2. Marie Case • 39.170
Vault
1. Christina Lenny • 9.895
T-2. Rachel Goldenberg • 9.805
T-5. Lauren Wozniak • 9.795
T-10. Nikki Moore • 9.775
Uneven Bars
1. Lindsay Runyan • 9.905
2. Christina Lenny • 9.855
4. Marie Case • 9.810
T-5. Christina Abou-Mitri
10. Jaimee Caldwell
Balance Beam
1. Marie Case • 9.820
4. Christina Lenny • 9.785
5. Christine Abou-Mitri • 9.770
Floor Exercise
1. Marie Case • 9.845
4. Christina Lenny • 9.810
NATIONAL RANKINGS UPDATE
Kent State now owns the No. 23 spot in the national rankings. Rankings are based on a team's regional qualifying score. The Flashes are the highest ranked team in the Mid-American Conference and fifth-highest ranked team in the central region behind Alabama, Ohio State, LSU and Auburn.
2011 NCAA Gymnastics Top 25 (as of March 14)
1. Florida – 197.170
2. Alabama – 197.040
3. Stanford – 196.715
4. Oklahoma – 196.655
5. Oregon State – 196.640
6. UCLA – 196.520
7. Utah – 196.470
8. Georgia – 196.325
9. Michigan – 196.320
10. Penn State – 196.045
12. Arkansas – 195.965
13. Boise State – 195.950
14. Iowa – 195.820Â
15. Ohio State – 195.800
16. Illinois – 195.790
17. Washington – 195.585
18. Denver – 195.435
19. LSU – 195.330
20. Iowa State – 195.285
21. Minnesota – 195.255
22. Auburn – 195.235
23. Kent State – 195.210
24. Arizona – 195.160
25. North Carolina State – 195.155
As a team, the Flashes are also ranked 15th in uneven bars average score (49.070), 18th in balance beam average score (48.780) and 20th in balance beam average score (49.020).Â
INDIVIDUAL SUCCESS LEADS TO TEAM SUCCESS
Kent State senior captain Christina Lenny (Broadview Heights, Ohio) is currently tied for 15th in the nation in the all-around with a regional qualifying score of 39.240 and is also tied for 10th on the vault with an RQS of 9.895. Freshman Marie Case (Erie, Pa.) is ranked 22nd in the country in the all-around with an RQS of 39.170. An RQS of 9.905 has sophomore Lindsay Runyan (Maineville, Ohio) tied for fourth in the nation on the uneven bars.
THE CENTER OF THE GYMNASTICS WORLD
Kent State University and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission are pleased to announce that the 2011 NCAA Division I Women's Gymnastics Championships will be hosted in Cleveland from April 15-17 at the Cleveland Wolstein Center. The championship field will consist of 12 teams, 12 all-around competitors and event specialists, all vying to be crowned the nation's best. Approximately 200 gymnasts will compete in team and individual events including vault, bars, beam and floor. The top three teams from each semifinal will advance to the Super Six Team Finals on April 16th and the top four individuals from each semifinal in each event (plus ties) will advance to the Individual Event Finals on April 17th.
Tickets are now on sale and start at just $15 for individual sessions or $36 for all session passes. Discounted group rates for ten or more adults and/or youth tickets are also available. Â For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.ncaa.com/wgym or call the Cleveland Wolstein Center box office at 216-687-4848.
WHAT'S NEXT
The NCAA Regionals will be held April 2. Kent State's destination for the regionals will be determined next week. Â
