Central Michigan University Athletics
Gymnastics Heads to the NCAA Regional Championships this Weekend
4/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
MOUNT PLEASANT After a four-year absence, the Central Michigan University gymnastics team returns to the NCAA Regional Championships this weekend.
The Chippewas, who last competed in a regional in 2005, travel to Alabama to take part in the NCAA Northeast Regional. The meet is being hosted by the University of Alabama on Saturday, April 4, at 6 p.m. CDT
Along with host Alabama, the third-ranked team in the nation, the teams at the region are ninth-ranked Oklahoma, 15th-ranked Missouri, New Hampshire and Maryland. The top two teams in the regional advance to the NCAA National Championships along with the top two all-arounders on teams not advancing. Event winners also advance to nationals.
“I feel we are really ready to compete this weekend,” CMU head coach Jerry Reighard said. “Everyone has been working hard over the last two weeks and this team understands the goal of advancing to nationals. We are not going down there just to be apart of the meet, we expect to be in the mix.”
Heading into this meet, Alabama, Oklahoma and Missouri are the favorites to advance but Reighard knows that Central Michigan has the potential to earn a top two finish and advance.
“The top teams are coming in not looking at us as a threat to move on but if we can peak this weekend, we will be right there battling for a top two finish,” Reighard said. “I don’t think we have had our best performance of the season yet and that is the type of performance we need this weekend. We want to be the talked about team at this meet and make a statement about where this program is at and where it is heading.”
This will be the first regional appearance for most of the team with just Katie Simon, Andrea de la Garza, Laura Rogers and Vanessa Rodriguez taking part in a regional.
“I have talked with the team this weekend about how everything we have done this season has prepared us for a meet like this,” Reighard said. “I know the judging will be fair and similar to what we have experienced this season. The biggest adjustment is the arena atmosphere because we haven’t performed in front of that many fans before. It is going to be a very knowledgeable crowd who will get behind us if we are challenging for a top two finish.”
Junior Katie Simon is looking to build upon a stellar Mid-American Conference Championships as she won four titles. She is looking to become the first gymnast since Sara Burtinsky in 2004 to qualify for nationals.
“I have a new respect for Katie after the last few weeks because of her performance at the MAC Championships and her work ethic the past few weeks in practice,” Reighard said. “She has become one of the most focused athletes I have ever coached. I think she has a great chance to be successful this weekend. It is a two-sided thing because the better the team does, the easier it will be for Katie to qualify for nationals. Also, the better Katie does, the more likely it will be that the team is successful.”
The Chippewas, who last competed in a regional in 2005, travel to Alabama to take part in the NCAA Northeast Regional. The meet is being hosted by the University of Alabama on Saturday, April 4, at 6 p.m. CDT
Along with host Alabama, the third-ranked team in the nation, the teams at the region are ninth-ranked Oklahoma, 15th-ranked Missouri, New Hampshire and Maryland. The top two teams in the regional advance to the NCAA National Championships along with the top two all-arounders on teams not advancing. Event winners also advance to nationals.
“I feel we are really ready to compete this weekend,” CMU head coach Jerry Reighard said. “Everyone has been working hard over the last two weeks and this team understands the goal of advancing to nationals. We are not going down there just to be apart of the meet, we expect to be in the mix.”
Heading into this meet, Alabama, Oklahoma and Missouri are the favorites to advance but Reighard knows that Central Michigan has the potential to earn a top two finish and advance.
“The top teams are coming in not looking at us as a threat to move on but if we can peak this weekend, we will be right there battling for a top two finish,” Reighard said. “I don’t think we have had our best performance of the season yet and that is the type of performance we need this weekend. We want to be the talked about team at this meet and make a statement about where this program is at and where it is heading.”
This will be the first regional appearance for most of the team with just Katie Simon, Andrea de la Garza, Laura Rogers and Vanessa Rodriguez taking part in a regional.
“I have talked with the team this weekend about how everything we have done this season has prepared us for a meet like this,” Reighard said. “I know the judging will be fair and similar to what we have experienced this season. The biggest adjustment is the arena atmosphere because we haven’t performed in front of that many fans before. It is going to be a very knowledgeable crowd who will get behind us if we are challenging for a top two finish.”
Junior Katie Simon is looking to build upon a stellar Mid-American Conference Championships as she won four titles. She is looking to become the first gymnast since Sara Burtinsky in 2004 to qualify for nationals.
“I have a new respect for Katie after the last few weeks because of her performance at the MAC Championships and her work ethic the past few weeks in practice,” Reighard said. “She has become one of the most focused athletes I have ever coached. I think she has a great chance to be successful this weekend. It is a two-sided thing because the better the team does, the easier it will be for Katie to qualify for nationals. Also, the better Katie does, the more likely it will be that the team is successful.”
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