Chippewas Picked to Finish 2nd in MAC
12/21/2016 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan gymnastics team was picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference in a poll of league coaches, released on Tuesday.
Defending regular-season champion Kent State was picked to finish first. Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan tied for third in the poll. Eastern Michigan finished first last March in the MAC Championships.
Last season, CMU finished third in the regular-season standings and was fourth in the MAC Championships.
"I think we have a very good team this year," said Jerry Reighard, who is in his 33rd year in charge of the CMU program. "I don't think that many people recognize the talent that we had on the bench last year that we weren't able to use, and that are back and ready to go.
"I feel very confident that we're going to do exceptionally well in the conference. Other coaches have their criteria and their ideas for the selection of who's going to be the dominant team. I guess we'll just have to wait and see as the season progresses how each team does."
The Chippewas open the season at home with a nonconference tri-meet with Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Hamline on Sunday, Jan. 8. They open MAC competition at Western Michigan on Sunday, Jan. 15.