Central Michigan University Athletics
Gymnastics Selected to Compete at NCAA Lexington Regional
3/23/2026 1:52:00 PM | Gymnastics
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Gymnastics heads to NCAA Regional as a team; two individuals also qualify
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan Gymnastics has been selected to compete in the 2026 NCAA Lexington Regional, the NCAA announced Monday on an ESPN broadcast.
The Chippewas will travel to Lexington, Ky. to compete at the University of Kentucky starting April 2. CMU will face Rutgers as the teams will teams will compete in the play-in dual meet on April 2 at 2 p.m. ET held at Kentucky's Memorial Coliseum. The winner of the play-in will advance to the second round of the regional on Friday, April 3 against No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 16 Kentucky, and No. 18 Ohio State.
This is the first time the entire Chippewas team has advanced to an NCAA Regional since 2021.
Also competing in the Lexington Regional are No. 8 Missouri, No. 9 Arkansas, No. 21 NC State and No. 27 Maryland. The top two teams from each Round 2 quads advance to the regional final on April 5 at 5 p.m. ET.
Senior Luciana Alvarado-Reid and graduate student Lia Kmieciak both qualified to compete as individuals. The two gymnasts will compete on April 3 at 7 p.m. ET should the team not advance. Alvarado-Reid secured the spot as an all-around competitor and Kmieciak will compete on the uneven bars and vault. Alvarado-Reid enters the regional ranked 26th nationally as an all-around competitor and Kmieciak enters ranked 33rd on the uneven bars.
Central Michigan enters the NCAA postseason coming off a strong performance on Saturday at the Mid-American Conference Championships. The Chiippewas captured both the MAC regular-season title and the tournament championship.
The Chippewas are ranked No. 31 nationally with a 195.597 NQS score and will look to continue their momentum against a competitive regional field.
Competition at the Lexington Regional begins April 2 at 2 p.m., with coverage available on ESPN+.
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The Chippewas will travel to Lexington, Ky. to compete at the University of Kentucky starting April 2. CMU will face Rutgers as the teams will teams will compete in the play-in dual meet on April 2 at 2 p.m. ET held at Kentucky's Memorial Coliseum. The winner of the play-in will advance to the second round of the regional on Friday, April 3 against No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 16 Kentucky, and No. 18 Ohio State.
This is the first time the entire Chippewas team has advanced to an NCAA Regional since 2021.
Also competing in the Lexington Regional are No. 8 Missouri, No. 9 Arkansas, No. 21 NC State and No. 27 Maryland. The top two teams from each Round 2 quads advance to the regional final on April 5 at 5 p.m. ET.
Senior Luciana Alvarado-Reid and graduate student Lia Kmieciak both qualified to compete as individuals. The two gymnasts will compete on April 3 at 7 p.m. ET should the team not advance. Alvarado-Reid secured the spot as an all-around competitor and Kmieciak will compete on the uneven bars and vault. Alvarado-Reid enters the regional ranked 26th nationally as an all-around competitor and Kmieciak enters ranked 33rd on the uneven bars.
Central Michigan enters the NCAA postseason coming off a strong performance on Saturday at the Mid-American Conference Championships. The Chiippewas captured both the MAC regular-season title and the tournament championship.
The Chippewas are ranked No. 31 nationally with a 195.597 NQS score and will look to continue their momentum against a competitive regional field.
Competition at the Lexington Regional begins April 2 at 2 p.m., with coverage available on ESPN+.
Follow Central Michigan Gymnastics
TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK
— CMU —
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