Central Michigan University Athletics
Photo by: Josie Ransley '25,M'27 - @josieransmedia
Gymnastics Slated to Win Regular Season MAC Title
1/5/2024 11:10:00 AM | Gymnastics
Kmieciak, Alvarado-Reid named 'Gymnasts to Watch' in Preseason Coaches Poll
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Central Michigan Gymnastics has been picked as the regular season favorite in the 2024 Mid-American Conference Preseason Coaches poll, the league announced Friday.
In a vote of the league's seven head coaches, the Chippewas obtained 32 points to tie with Ball State in the selection for the upcoming 2024 regular season title.
CMU was slated to win both the regular season and tournament title in 2023, where the Chippewas emerged with their second consecutive MAC Championship in March. CMU won the title with a first-place tournament score of 196.525, having bested regular season champion Ball State (196.325) and Kent State (196.175).
Additionally, Chippewa gymnasts Lia Kmieciak and Luciana Alvarado-Reid were named to the '2024 MAC Gymnasts to Watch' lists, as nominated by league coaches.
Kmieciak, a junior, competed in all 10 meets in the 2023 season, primarily on vault and bars. She totaled a career-best 9.875 in vault at Ball State and at Kent State, and finished with a career-best 9.850 on bars four times across the season, including at the 2023 MAC Championship.
Alvarado-Reid, a sophomore, was named MAC Freshman of the Year in 2023 after standout performances at the MAC Championship, where she finished third on vault with a score of 9.850 and fourth in the all-around with scores of 9.850 on bars, 9.825 on beam and a season-high 9.875 on floor, making for a career-high 39.400 score.
Central Michigan opens the 2024 season on Monday, Jan. 8 (9 p.m. ET) at Arizona State.
2024 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE GYMNASTICS PRESEASON COACHES POLL (First Place Votes)
T1. Ball State (4) – 32 points
T1. Central Michigan (2) – 32 points
3. Western Michigan – 26 points
4. Kent State – 24 points (1)
T5. Bowling Green – 12 points
T5. Eastern Michigan – 12 points
7. Northern Illinois – 9 points
MAC Tournament Champion: Ball State (5), Central Michigan (1), Western Michigan (1).
2024 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE GYMNASTS TO WATCH
Zoe Middleton, Sophomore, Ball State
Grace Sumner, Junior, Ball State
Isabella Rivelli, Sophomore, Bowling Green
Kathryn Weilbacher, Junior, Bowling Green
Luciana Alvarado-Reid, Sophomore, Central Michigan
Lia Kmieciak, Junior, Central Michigan
Raisa Boris, Senior, Eastern Michigan
Jacquelyn Patterson, Freshman, Eastern Michigan
Alyssa Guns, Junior, Kent State
Heidi Schultz, Sophomore, Kent State
Alyssa Al-Ashari, Senior, Northern Illinois
Isabella Sissi, Junior, Northern Illinois
Amanda Gruber, Graduate Student, Western Michigan
Payton Murphy, Graduate Student, Western Michigan
In a vote of the league's seven head coaches, the Chippewas obtained 32 points to tie with Ball State in the selection for the upcoming 2024 regular season title.
CMU was slated to win both the regular season and tournament title in 2023, where the Chippewas emerged with their second consecutive MAC Championship in March. CMU won the title with a first-place tournament score of 196.525, having bested regular season champion Ball State (196.325) and Kent State (196.175).
Additionally, Chippewa gymnasts Lia Kmieciak and Luciana Alvarado-Reid were named to the '2024 MAC Gymnasts to Watch' lists, as nominated by league coaches.
Kmieciak, a junior, competed in all 10 meets in the 2023 season, primarily on vault and bars. She totaled a career-best 9.875 in vault at Ball State and at Kent State, and finished with a career-best 9.850 on bars four times across the season, including at the 2023 MAC Championship.
Alvarado-Reid, a sophomore, was named MAC Freshman of the Year in 2023 after standout performances at the MAC Championship, where she finished third on vault with a score of 9.850 and fourth in the all-around with scores of 9.850 on bars, 9.825 on beam and a season-high 9.875 on floor, making for a career-high 39.400 score.
Central Michigan opens the 2024 season on Monday, Jan. 8 (9 p.m. ET) at Arizona State.
2024 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE GYMNASTICS PRESEASON COACHES POLL (First Place Votes)
T1. Ball State (4) – 32 points
T1. Central Michigan (2) – 32 points
3. Western Michigan – 26 points
4. Kent State – 24 points (1)
T5. Bowling Green – 12 points
T5. Eastern Michigan – 12 points
7. Northern Illinois – 9 points
MAC Tournament Champion: Ball State (5), Central Michigan (1), Western Michigan (1).
2024 MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE GYMNASTS TO WATCH
Zoe Middleton, Sophomore, Ball State
Grace Sumner, Junior, Ball State
Isabella Rivelli, Sophomore, Bowling Green
Kathryn Weilbacher, Junior, Bowling Green
Luciana Alvarado-Reid, Sophomore, Central Michigan
Lia Kmieciak, Junior, Central Michigan
Raisa Boris, Senior, Eastern Michigan
Jacquelyn Patterson, Freshman, Eastern Michigan
Alyssa Guns, Junior, Kent State
Heidi Schultz, Sophomore, Kent State
Alyssa Al-Ashari, Senior, Northern Illinois
Isabella Sissi, Junior, Northern Illinois
Amanda Gruber, Graduate Student, Western Michigan
Payton Murphy, Graduate Student, Western Michigan
Players Mentioned
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