Kent State University
Ball State
Flashes Set For Tennessee Collegiate Classic
1/19/2023 1:30:00 PM | Gymnastics
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State gymnastics team will compete at the Tennessee Collegiate Classic on Friday, Jan. 20, at the Farm Bureau Expo Center in Lebanon, Tenn., at 7 p.m. The Golden Flashes will face off with Ball State, Lindenwood, Southeast Missouri State, and Fisk.
LAST TIME OUT
The Flashes opened the 2023 campaign on the road in Morgantown, W.Va., against West Viriginia and Maryland. The Flashes posted a 194.475 team score in the season's inaugural meet, finishing third.
On floor, seniors Rachel DeCavitch and Karlie Franz both posted 9.850s to tie for floor winner. Sophomores Alyssa Guns and Grace Wehry both eclipsed the 9.8 mark, tallying a 9.825 and a 9.800, respectively.
DeCavitch led the Flashes on vault with a 9.800, while senior Olivia Amodei and juniors Kyndall Gilbert and Kennedy Weinpert all posted 9.775s to help lead the Flashes to a 48.775 in the second rotation.
On bars, senior Taylor Wentland earned a share of the event title in her Kent State debut with a high-flying 9.800. DeCavitch and Weinpert continued their strong nights in the third rotation with scores 9.775 and 9.750 as part of a 48.575 effort from the squad.
Junior Sarah Haxton led the way for the Flashes in the final rotation with a 9.725 on beam. Wehry scored a 9.700, a career-best, as the Flashes combined for a 48.075 mark.
SERIES STATS
Friday marks the 83rd meet between Kent State and Ball State and the first of two regular-season meetings this year. Last year, the Flashes topped the Cardinals 194.875-194.800 thanks in part to Kyndall Gilbert's career-best 9.900 on bars.
The Flashes will face Lindenwood for the fourth time and first since 2020 when Kent State beat the Lions 194.950-192.325 for its second win in the series. Karlie Franz set then-career-highs on both bars and floor to win the all-around competition.
Kent State is 7-1 all-time against Southeast Missouri State. A season ago, KSU won 195.300-191.500 in the season opener as two Flashes set career-highs – Grace Wehry on vault (9.775) and Olivia Amodei on bars (9.850).
Friday also marks the first-ever meeting between Kent State and Fisk. Fisk is the first HBCU school to have a gymnastics team and 2023 marks the program's inaugural season.
HOME SWEET HOME
On Sunday, Jan. 29, Kent State will host its first home meet of the season in the M.A.C. Center at 1 p.m. As part of Kent State's "Beauty and the Beast" event, the Flashes will face Western Michigan while wrestling takes on Clarion simultaneously.
TICKET TIME
Fans can purchase season tickets for the 2023 season now by calling the Kent State Ticket Office at 330-672-4455 or purchase online. Single meet tickets are also available here.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
For more information on the Kent State gymnastics team, follow Kent State Gymnastics on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, and visit kentstatesports.com for additional information.
Players Mentioned
