World news – Huskies finished second at the MAC Gymnastic Championships

Junior Mia Lord performs a beam rountine at the Convocation Center on March 1st during the NIU meeting against Southeast Missouri State University.

DeKALB – NIU gymnastics fell 0.375 points behind defending its mid- American Conference Championship back. The team posted a final result of 195,525 on Saturday in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

« We had a great day and a couple of small mistakes kept things from going in our favor, » said head coach Sam Morreale in a NIU press release for athletics on Saturday. « It’s bittersweet when you’re within striking distance at the end. We gave it our all; we went in and that’s what you want – you want a chance. »

The Huskies started the championship on the ground where the team opened with a score of 49,050. Junior Tara Kofmehl came second with 9,900, in the second year Nicolette DiPrisco finished the top ten with 9,850. NIU was in good shape and went into the second turn of the vault.

The huskies were led by Kofmehl at the vault, who took home 9,850 MAC co-champion honors. Kofmehl and Seniors Gabby Welch and Zoie Schroeder all made the top four in the vault, leading the Huskies to take on the event as a team and keep up with Eastern Michigan University, which led the championship in two rotations.

In the third rotation, the huskies went into the uneven bars when Natalie Hamp and Junior Morgan Hooper led the NIU in the second year. Hamp imprisoned co-champion after scoring 9,900 points in that event. Hooper finished in the top ten with a 9,825. With just one more turn, the Huskies would need a large number on the balance beam if they were to keep the MAC championship. Men’s tennis remains undefeated in the MAC game

In the last rotation of the Huskies season, Schröder was in second place with a radiation value of 9.875 on that day. Senior Mia Lord came into play with 9,850 just behind Schroeder, and Kofmehl rounded out the top three of the NIU with 9,800. Despite the team pushing, the Huskies failed in their attempt to retain the MAC title.

In the all-round, Hooper finished third with 39.125 points over her four revolutions and fell in the freshman year of Western Michigan University, Sarah Moravansky, down 0.125 points. NIU has reached the top 2 of the conference in each of the last three competition seasons. The two individual titles are the third championship in a row in which the huskies have claimed event titles from several gymnasts.

« As a program, we went around the corner, » said Morreale in the press release. « It’s a will for the alumni who came before, and that paved the way for us to build it where we are now. » What they have done has enabled us to attract better talent that will keep us competitive. I am super excited for the future. « 

Although the Huskies team season has ended, Hamp and Kofmehl could still compete as individual competitors in the NCAA gymnastics regions. Regional selections will be announced at 4:00 pm Monday, followed by regional competitions scheduled on April 2nd at various locations in the USA.

NIU welcomes The Beauty and the Beast in the Convocation Center with the gymnastics and wrestling teams