Five Flashes Gymnasts Named All-MAC
3/18/2022 10:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
CLEVELAND, Ohio - On Friday, the Mid-American Conference announced its 2022 Gymnastics First and Second Team All-MAC Performers. The teams were selected based upon individual conference rankings of National Qualifying Standard (NQS). Five Kent State gymnasts were given the honor, all of whom being named All-MAC Second Team: junior Rachel DeCavitch, junior Karlie Franz, freshman Alyssa Guns, sophomore Sarah Haxton, and senior Cami Klein.
For DeCavitch, the Champion, Ohio native, this is not her first taste of glory during her tenure at Kent State. This is Rachel's third appearance on the All-MAC team during her three years in blue and gold, jumpstarted by a freshman campaign in which she was also named MAC Freshman of the Year. This season, DeCavitch has been as productive as ever, ranking among the top 10 in the MAC in NQS in three out of four events and ranking third in the MAC in the all-around category with an NQS of 39.220. And it seems like Rachel is heating up at just the right time, as she finished with an all-around score of 39.350 in Kent State's home tri-meet against Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green on March 6, her second-best all-around score ever and a mark good enough to help her be named MAC Gymnast of the Week for the fourth time in her career.
Junior Karlie Franz is a gymnast who has been a force to reckoned with ever since she came to Kent State in 2020, but this season, she has performed exceptionally well, tied for fifth in the MAC in bars NQS at 9.830 and tied for third in the conference on floor with a staggering 9.900 NQS. This is thanks to Karlie posting a personal best 9.925 on floor in the All-Ohio Meet at Ohio State featuring Bowling Green on March 4. The Marysville, Michigan native, Franz also ranks in the top 20 in the MAC in vault NQS.
Freshman Alyssa Guns burst onto the scene for Kent State in a major way in 2022, capturing everyone's attention when she placed first on floor in her first time participating in the event for the Flashes in a home tri-meet on January 28, scoring a remarkable 9.975. The Royal Oaks, Michigan native is tied for third with Franz in floor NQS at 9.900 and ninth in the MAC in vault NQS at 9.820. Despite her age, Alyssa has shown that she belongs on this stage, and her future is quite bright.
Sarah Haxton's name is one that has been heard very often this season as being atop the leaderboard. The sophomore from Fortville, Indiana ranks second in the MAC on bars with a 9.870 NQS. Sarah hit a new personal record on the event on March 4 in the All-Ohio Meet, posting a bars score of 9.900. Just like many other Flashes, Haxton is putting up strong performances at just the right time, as Kent State prepares for MAC Championships on Saturday.
And last but certainly not least, senior Cami Klein finished second in the MAC in beam NQS rankings at 9.855. Originally from Zionsville, Indiana, Klein has made Kent her second home over the last four years, with this season possibly being her best in blue and gold. She helped lead the Flashes to a share of the 2022 MAC Regular Season Championship, posting a personal record on beam along the way with a score of 9.925 in the regular season finale against Western Michigan on Sunday. Klein will compete in what could be her final meet for Kent State in the MAC Championships on Saturday, looking to assist them in their quest to advance to Regionals before calling it a career.
Players Mentioned
