COLUMN: With Noonan back, Gymnastics are prepared for a postseason run
Colorado senior Taylor Noonan poses on the balance beam during the Chippewas final regular season meet versus Western Michigan on March 15 at Western Michigan University.
No. 21 Central Michigan University Gymnastics can win its sixth consecutive Mid-American Conference title Saturday at Kent State. the reigning champs are undoubtedly the favorites again.
The scariest part about the team is they’re just now starting to heat up.
Vault and floor have been solid all year for CMU, while bars has been mostly positive as well. Up until two weeks ago, it was the balance beam that repeatedly sunk the Chippewas.
CMU sent three gymnasts to Nationals last year—all on balance beam. This year, Emily Heinz and senior Taylor Noonan, who suffered a potentially career-ending knee injury after the first meet of the season.
Noonan sat and watched the beam team score 47s and 48s week after week, far short of the 49 they hope for. This season, she wouldn’t get another chance to perform at McGuirk Arena, even on Senior Day.
But the Colorado native wasn’t done.
Two weeks ago she returned to the beam lineup, scored a 9.9 and propelled her team to a season high 49.1 on the road at Brigham Young University.
She hit another 9.9 on beam Sunday against Western Michigan University to help clinch the MAC regular season title.
While the beam may still be uncertain for the Chippewas, they can count on their closer.
In the past five meets, CMU has four scores of 196 and above. They have five scores above a 196 this season, while the rest of the MAC combined has a total of two. Another 196 Saturday will likely be enough for a sixth straight ring.
Senior Halle Moraw has been consistently dominant on vault and floor and was also one of the three to go to nationals on beam last year. Senior Kylie Fagan is tied for sixth in the country on the uneven bars with a 9.891 season average.
And Noonan is back, competing like she never left.
The MAC Championships are just an introduction to the postseason for this team.
