DeMers Claims 4 Firsts As Gymnasts Show Marked Improvement

Sunday, January 31

Kalamazoo, MI

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

194.075

195.425

Western Michigan

Photo by: Keara Chaperon '22

1/31/2021 4:37:00 PM | Gymnastics

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

Final Results

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – A much-better performance that Central Michigan gymnastics coach Christine MacDonald hopes is another building block.

The Chippewas posted a 194.075 score in falling to Western Michigan in a Mid-American Conference dual at the Broncos' Read Fieldhouse on Sunday. The Broncos finished at 195.425.

It was a marked improvement for the Chippewas over their season-opening dual a week ago at Ball State, when CMU scored 192.375.

"We got better today," MacDonald said. "We definitely moved in the right direction. We were able to try out some new people and I thought everybody did a great job as far as the team in pulling together, backing each other up. It definitely was a great learning day for us and an opportunity to find what's going to work."

CMU sophomore Hannah DeMers continued her good start to the season, winning the all-around (39.200), the uneven parallel bars (9.900), the vault (9.825) and the floor exercise (9.875).

DeMers shared the top spot on vault with teammate Katie Kowalski and she tied for first on the floor exercise with CMU's Ashley Veglucci and Western Michigan's Ronni Binstock.

"Hannah's doing what she does every day in the gym," MacDonald said. "She's a hard worker, very focused and she's really finding her rhythm. Last year she had a few setbacks that kept her out of the all-around. Each week she gets better at it and she did a really good job today. She's really finding her flow and getting the job done."

It was just the second collegiate meet for Kowalski, a freshman, and it marked just the second time that Veglucci, a sophomore, had competed on floor. The scores that Kowalski and Veglucci recorded in earning their respective first-place finishes were career bests.

The Chippewas improved their scores in three of the four rotations over what they posted last week at Ball State. The biggest leap came in balance beam, where the Chippewas scored a 47.975 at Western after they recorded a 46.475 at Ball State.

The Chippewas' best event score in Sunday's meet came on the floor exercise, a 49.075 which was another big bump from last week's 48.500.

The Chippewas are scheduled to go to Bowling Green for a MAC dual on Friday, Feb. 5 (5 p.m.).

"We just need to continue to have solidly hit routines to get our scores jumping so that we can capitalize off of each other," MacDonald said. "We haven't had that consistency that we need; we're kind of getting there, but we're still not there. As we start to solidify the lineup, I think we'll see that consistency. We'll continue to focus on the little things, and I believe the little things will take care of the outcome."