Pair of gymnasts out for season
Members of the gymnastics team are already dealing with injuries before even competing in its second meet of the season.
Sophomore all-around competitors Emily LaFontaine and Kari Dieffenderfer are out for the rest of the season.
LaFontaine landed wrong during practice on Jan. 2, tearing her ACL, MCL and meniscus.
“I was tumbling on floor while attempting a front-double twist, and now I’m done for the year,” LaFontaine said.
She has been icing and going through therapy regularly. In four to eight weeks she will undergo surgery, barring her MCL heals in time.
LaFontaine competed in every meet last season, scoring a season-best 9.800 on floor against Western Michigan and at MAC Championships. She also scored a 9.700 or higher 11 times and a 9.800 or better three times last season.
“She is a very steady performer,” said head coach Jerry Reighard. “It’s a hole we are going to have to build and replace.”
Kari Dieffenderfer will be redshirted after having surgery in October to repair a torn labrum. She is rehabbing right now and providing support for her teammates during practice and meets.
Dieffenderfer competed in every meet last season after recovering from an ankle injury before the season started only then to have surgery after the NCAA Central Regional Championships. Dieffenderfer scored a season-high 9.875 on bars, finishing fifth at NCAA Central Regional Championships last season.
She earned a 9.775 on vault twice and a 9.700 or better on bars in 10 meets.
Redshirt freshman Meaghan McWhorter returned to competition last weekend for the first time since spraining her MCL and tearing her meniscus in 2008. McWhorter rode the elliptical and tried running a bit to test it out at Tuesday’s practice.
“I’m trying to stay off it so I can compete this weekend,” McWhorter said.
Sophomore Bailey Brumbach has a stress fracture in her left shin. She returned to practice on Monday after being in a boot and conditioning for the last two weeks.
“It has bothered me all of preseason, but I didn’t know what was wrong until I visited the doctor two weeks ago,” Brumbach said.
She is expecting to compete in vault this Friday. Brumbach competed in five meets last season.
The team will compete in the second meet of the season on Friday when they travel to Muncie, Ind., to compete against Ball State.
