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KALAMAZOO, Mich.- Western Michigan gymnastics hosts its second meet of the season when it competes against Bowling Green and Eastern Michigan. All home WMU gymnastics meets are free admission.
The Broncos are coming off a 194.025-190.700 win in the season opener over UIC. The point total of 194.025 was a new Western Michigan program record for a season opener.
Bowling Green is also in its second meet after competing in a three-way meet last week against Arizona State and Nebraska. The Falcons lost against both teams, putting up a score of 191.900. All-around competitor Alyssa Nocella tied for the individual title in the balance beam with a score of 9.850.
Eastern Michigan won its four-way meet against Pittsburgh, Maryland and Towson with a score of 194.875 last week, to rank No. 20 overall in the country. It is the highest ranking for the Eagles in program history. Vaulter Kendall Valentin ranks No. 13 nationally in vault after scoring a 9.875 last week.
ALL WMU HOME MEETS TO BE AIRED ON ESPN3
All five of Western Michigan's home gymnastics meets this season will be aired on ESPN3. On air talent Mike Monaco will be joined by former Bronco gymnast Shelby Pflug as an analyst.
IMPRESSIVE DEBUT
Freshman Rachael Underwood made her presence known in her collegiate debut last week against UIC. She won the floor title with a score of 9.825, one of three Broncos to score 9.800 or better in the event. Along with her floor performance, Underwood also scored 9.650 in vault and 9.725 in beam, placing third and sixth respectively.
CONTINUING TO IMPROVE
After ending 2015 as the MAC All-Around Champion, junior Anna Corbett continued her record performances in 2016 by winning the all-around total against UIC with a score of 39.050.
Corbett began the day with a 9.750 to earn a share of her first vault title in her career. It proved to be a sign of things to come on the day, as she totaled 9.700 or better on all four events, finishing with an all-around total of 39.050.
Her all-around total was the highest of the five competitors on both teams in the WMU-UIC meet last week who qualified for all-around as well as the highest in the MAC as Corbett was the only competitor in the MAC last week to score 9.700 or better in all four events.
ALSO OF NOTE
Sophomore Kira Hoy scored a 9.775 in her floor exercise last week, in just the second time competing in the floor in her career. She competed once as a freshman last year on the floor, scoring a 9.550. Junior Brittany Aragon also set a personal best in the floor exercise vs. UIC with a score of 9.700 to place seventh.
LOOKING AHEAD
Western Michigan travels for its first road meet of the season next week when it heads to Morgantown, W.Va. to take on Big 12 school West Virginia next Sunday, Jan. 24. Meet time is set for 2 p.m.
