Flashes Look to Keep Building Momentum against Western Michigan

Sunday, March 10

Kalamazoo, Mich.

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

Western Michigan

Photo by: David Dermer

Flashes Look to Keep Building Momentum against Western Michigan

3/9/2024 12:05:00 PM | Gymnastics

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KENT, Ohio – The Kent State gymnastics team will compete in its final road dual meet of the season on Sunday, March 10, when the Golden Flashes travel to Kalamazoo to square off with Western Michigan. The meet is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT

Kyndall Gilbert tied for the win on vault and Heidi Schultz earned two podium finishes, including a win on beam, as Kent State placed third at the All-Ohio Meet at Ohio State on Friday night.

The Golden Flashes posted a 196.125 team total, their second-highest road score of the 2024 campaign. The host Buckeyes, who entered the week ranked 15th in the nation, won the meet with a 196.825 while No. 23 Illinois placed second with a 196.325. Bowling Green posted a 194.275 to finish fourth.

On Sunday, the Kent State gymnastics team won in electrifying fashion, posting the second-highest score in program history to beat conference foe Eastern Michigan, 197.200-196.425. This marks just the third time in school history – and the second time this season – that the Golden Flashes have eclipsed the 197 mark.

QUICK STICKS

- Kent State has set three of the four-highest totals in program history this season with a 197.725 at the Tennessee Collegiate Classic in January, a 196.925 against NIU on Feb. 11, and a 197.200 against Eastern Michigan on Sunday.

- The Flashes rank 19th in the nation on floor and first in the MAC with an NQS of 49.355. Kent State ranks in the top two in the conference on all four events.

- Karlie Franz boasts the highest NQS on floor in the Mid-American Conference (9.910) while Alyssa Guns (9.900) ranks fourth in the event and Dani Fuertez (9.865) sits ninth. Heidi Schultz (9.865) ranks second in the conference on beam. Sarah Haxton sits tied for fourth on bars with an NQS of 9.855. Kennedy Weinpert and Charlie Behner (9.850) rank fourth in the MAC on vault.

- Karlie Franz was named the MAC Co-Specialist of the Week alongside WMU's Halle Faulkner after earning two podium finishes on floor over the weekend, including a share of the event win with a 9.900 on Sunday.

- Event wins this season:
        - Vault - Kyndall Gilbert (2), Kennedy Weinpert (1), Nastia Rudnitskaya (1)
        - Bars - Sarah Haxton (2)
        - Beam - Heidi Schultz (3), Sarah Haxton (1), Dani Fuertez (1), Alyssa Guns (1)
        - Floor - Karlie Franz (5), Dani Fuertez (3), Alyssa Guns (2), Nastia Rudnitskaya (1)

- Karlie Franz has scored 9.9+ six times on floor. Kennedy Weinpert has scored 9.8+ on vault in eight consecutive meets.

- Kent State has won the last two matchups against WMU including a 195.925-195.425 victory a season ago.

TEN-NESSEE

The Flashes placed second at the Tennessee Collegiate Classic on Jan. 19 with a program-record 197.725. Kent State also set new program-best scores on floor (49.675) and tied the highest-ever results on bars (49.500) and second-highest on vault (49.300). Including exhibitions, the Flashes hit on 32/32 routines.

Karlie Franz won on floor after she scored a perfect 10.000, the first Kent State gymnast to do so since Jessie James in 2004 and the first MAC gymnast to go perfect on floor since 2005. Alyssa Guns and Heidi Schultz each received a 10.00 from one judge, finishing second in the meet with a 9.975 each. On bars, five gymnasts set or matched their career-highs, led by Kyndall Gilbert's 9.925.

Nene Alvine and Nastia Rudnitskaya each finished third with a 9.900, with Alvine on beam and Rudnitskaya on vault. In total, 15 of the Flashes' 24 routines on the night set or tied personal bests.

SCOUTING SUNDAY'S OPPOSITION

Western Michigan comes into Sunday's meet fresh off of a 194.625 showing on the road last weekend. The Broncos rank 38th nationally as a squad, sitting 26th on vault, 46th on bars, 45th on beam, and 21st in the country on floor.

Payton Murphy leads WMU with 351.55 points this season and ranks second in the country with an all-around NQS of 39.250. Amanda Gruber and Halle Faulkner are the only Bronco gymnasts to earn weekly awards from the conference this season, both earning Specialist of the Week honors.

UP NEXT

The Flashes return to the M.A.C. Center on Sunday, March 17 at 1p.m. when they host Bowling Green to wrap up the home portion of the schedule. Kent State Gymnastics will be celebrating Senior Day by honoring this year's senior class and their contributions to the program.

FOLLOW THE FLASHES

For more information on the Kent State gymnastics team, follow Kent State Gymnastics on Instagram, X and Facebook, and visit kentstatesports.com for additional information.