Kent State University
MAC Championships
Gymnastics Opens Postseason at MAC Championship on Saturday
3/21/2025 10:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
KENT, Ohio – The Kent State gymnastics team looks to sweep the MAC regular season and postseason titles on Saturday as the team heads to the MAC championship in Mount Pleasant. The postseason meet is set to begin at 2 p.m.
ABOUT THE FLASHES
The MAC announced their all-conference teams this week and Kent State led the conference with five gymnasts selected. Alyssa Guns was named to the All-MAC First Team on the floor, while second-team distinctions were given to Charlie Behner on vault, Nastia Rudnitskaya on bars, Heidi Schultz on beam, and Nene Alvine on all-around. Guns was previously named to the All-MAC Second Team as both a freshman and sophomore in 2022 and 2023. Schultz is the other repeat honoree, as she was named to the All-MAC Second Team in 2024.
Kent State finished fourth of four teams competing in a quad meet hosted by Ohio State last Sunday, closing the regular season with a non-conference meet after finishing 6-0 in the MAC. The Flashes fell to the Buckeyes, Pitt, and West Virginia. The team posted their highest score on the road this season with a 195.650, surpassing the previous high of 195.425 set at Eastern Michigan in January. On vault, the Flashes were led by both Mya Migliore and Behner, who each earned a team-high 9.825. The highlight of what was an impressive meet for Behner came on bars, where she earned a 9.900 to lead Kent State and win the event. Her score marks the highest by a Kent State gymnast on bars this season and the second-highest bars score in the MAC in 2025. Schultz also earned a 9.850 on bars, while Rudnitskaya recorded a 9.800. On beam, Ashley Morgan earned the Flashes' highest score for the second time this season with a 9.850, matching her career high. Schultz followed closely as the anchor in the event with a 9.825. On the floor, Behner once again led the Flashes as she posted the highest score on the team in all three events she competed in. The junior matched her career-high with a 9.875 on the floor for the second meet in a row. Guns continued a strong senior season on the floor with a 9.850, while Morgan earned a 9.800 in just her second floor routine of the season.
SCOUTING THE MAC
Central Michigan's National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 195.665 currently leads the MAC. The Flashes are second in the conference with a 195.510 NQS, while Ball State rounds out the top three at 195.455. The Chippewas finished second in the conference behind Kent State's 6-0 record at 5-1. All other teams in the MAC concluded the regular season with at least three losses in conference.
MAC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The Flashes have won 12 MAC Championships in the program's history, eight of which have come under the leadership of head coach Brice Biggin. The most recent MAC Championship won by Kent State was in 2015 when the Flashes won as the host. The Flashes placed third of the seven MAC teams competing at last season's conference championship hosted by Ball State in Muncie, tallying an overall team score of 196.325. The biggest highlight of the meet for Kent State was Nastia Rudnitskaya winning the individual MAC title on vault when she earned a 9.925 to tie for first. Zoe Rankin, Mya Migliore, and Charlie Behner also earned podium finishes, tying for third with a trio of 9.900s. Rudnitskaya narrowly missed out on a podium finish on bars, tying for fourth with a team-high 9.875. On beam, Heidi Schultz led Kent State with a 9.850 to tie for sixth, followed closely by a 9.825 from Alyssa Guns and a 9.800 by Gabby Riley. Rankin posted the Flashes' highest score on the floor, tying for tenth with a 9.850, while Guns earned a 9.825.
FOLLOW THE FLASHES
For complete coverage of Kent State Athletics, download the official Kent State Golden Flashes app (iOS, Android) and be sure to follow Kent State gymnastics on Instagram and X to stay up to date on news and information regarding the team.
Players Mentioned
