Gymnasts Head To Kent State For MAC Dual

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. --The Central Michigan gymnastics team takes to the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center on the campus of Kent State University on Sunday to take on the Golden Flashes in a Mid-American Conference dual.

The Chippewas go into Sunday's meet 8-1, 1-0 MAC, and are coming off a 194.200-191.725 nonconference win at Illinois State. The Golden Flashes are 4-4, 1-1. The lost, 194.500-192.075, at Northern Illinois last week.

WHERE THEY STAND
The Chippewas are ranked No. 37 in the nation, averaging 194.255. They are at No. 31 on bars, No. 37 on floor exercise, No. 42 on balance beam, and No. 45 on vault.

Chippewa senior Gianna Plaksa is ranked 43rd in the nation in the all-around, averaging39.050. Teammate Denelle Pedrick is 66^th(38.844).

Kent State is averaging 192.592, which ranks 54^thnationally. They are 45^thon bars, 48^thon beam, 50^thon vault and 67^thon floor exercise.

IMPROVING SCORES
The Chippewas have improved in each of their last two meets after posting a season-low 193.250 in finishing second in a quad meet at Denver. CMU improved to 193.675 and then to 194.200. Their season high is 195.275.

Coach Jerry Reighard said his team is in a good place.

"I think we have mentally been able to handle the away trips now and the confidence is building," he said. "We're not afraid of making mistakes and that allows a gymnast, or really any athlete, to really step up and give in to what is called 'the flow.'

"We have several really experienced athletes who have been carrying the load, and we're training some people that have come through for us, and that's a really great sign.

DEPTH
One of the luxuries that CMU has had this year is depth.

"Depth is something we're not really used to, and this is kind of a different season (for us depth wise)," Reighard said. "We have the ability to substitute people in when someone isn't feeling good, and what that's done is motivate the people who don't want to get pulled out (of the lineup). So if someone didn't have a good practice, or a test didn't go well, they know that they better come in to practice and show their best. It's been very competitive in the gym."

NEXT
The Chippewas return to McGuirk Arena for the first time in more than a month when they entertain Eastern Michigan in a MAC dual on Friday, Feb. 15 (7 p.m.).

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Denelle Pedrick

Gianna Plaksa

Central Michigan University Athletics