Kent State University
Morgantown Regional
Flashes Travel to Morgantown for NCAA Regionals
4/1/2021 12:15:00 PM | Gymnastics
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State gymnastics team heads to the Morgantown on Friday, April 2, to compete in regionals of the National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships.
The Golden Flashes narrowly avoided the play-in round and will face No. 4 Michigan, No. 13 UCLA, and the winner of Penn State and West Virginia – a matchup to be determined Thursday evening – in Session II beginning at 7 p.m.
In year 30 for Head Coach Brice Biggin, the Flashes are making their seventh regional appearance in the last decade. Friday night's matchup will take place on the 10-year anniversary of the 2011 team's second-place regional finish that propelled them to the program's only NCAA Championship appearance.
The 2021 Season
The Flashes are having a historic season, recording their best NQS (195.981) since 2004. The team's floor lineup is ranked 18th in the country behind three dominant seniors.
Abby Fletcher – MAC Senior Gymnast of the Year – is tied for first place in the conference on floor with an impressive 9.913 NQS. Her efforts earned her All-MAC Second Team honors as well as a spot on the All-MAC tournament team after winning the individual floor title at the conference championships. In addition to floor, Fletcher ranks fifth in the conference on beam with a 9.863 NQS.
Toshi Richard has provided the Flashes with a consistent routine in their star-studded floor lineup. Richard is tied for fourth in the MAC with a 9.900 NQS after tying for second place at the MAC Championships. Jade Brown – the "super senior" – is tied for 11th on floor and has finished in the top-three on the event in four meets. Her two floor wins are second on the team behind Fletcher's whopping five individual titles.
Rachel DeCavitch, the 2020 MAC Freshman of the Year, is finally hitting her stride during her sophomore season. She is tied for third in the MAC on bars (9.875 NQS) and seventh in the conference on floor (9.888 NQS). DeCavitch leads the Flashes in total points for the second consecutive season.
Scouting the Competition
The No. 4 Michigan Wolverines are the team to beat at the Morgantown Regional. The highest ranked team between the two sessions has at least one individual in the top-six on three different events. The Wolverines rank first in the country on vault, third on bars and fourth on beam.
Natalie Wojcik is tied for fourth nationally on beam with a 9.956 NQS. She is one of just five gymnastics to record a perfect 10 on beam this season. She is also tied for sixth on beam with a 9.944 NQS and a season-high 9.975. The Wolverines are led on vault by Sierra Brooks and Abby Heiskell. Brooks is tied for fifth in the nation (9.950 NQS) and Heiskell is just behind her tied for seventh (9.944 NQS).
The No. 13 UCLA Bruins join the Wolverines as top-tier competition in Friday's meet. While usually ranked in the top-five, the Bruins are still an extremely talented team. With a season-high 197.100, UCLA has been one of the most consistent teams in collegiate gymnastics. The team ranks sixth in the country on floor and eighth on vault.
The trio of Chae Campbell, Nia Dennis and Pauline Tratz lead the Bruins' loaded floor lineup. All three competitors rank in the top-21 nationally on the event.
A play-in matchup on Thursday evening between No. 33 Penn State and No. 35 West Virginia will decide the final team in the four-team session Friday night. Penn State's best even is bars, where they rank 19th in the country. West Virginia shines on the floor, ranking 25th in the nation.
2021 NCAA Gymnastics Championships Info
Tickets are on sale now HERE for the Morgantown Regional. Click HERE for the full 2021 NCAA Gymnastics Championships bracket, and a recap of the NCAA Selection Show can be viewed HERE.
The first session of the Morgantown Regional kicks off at 1 p.m., on Friday afternoon, and features No. 5 California, No. 12 BYU, Ohio State and Towson.
The top two teams and the top all-around competitor (who is not on an advancing team) from each regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships. The top event specialist at each regional who is not part of an advancing team or all-around competitor will also advance in that event only.
The 2021 individual and team championship will be decided over two days — Friday and Saturday, April 16-17 — in Fort Worth, Texas.
Follow the Flashes
Session II of the Morgantown Regional will be streamed on ESPN3 and live stats are available during the action. Be sure to follow the Kent State gymnastics team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for news and updates about the squad, including live updates of their 2021 NCAA Championship run.
Players Mentioned
