2008 Woodie Awards
Seniors look for elusive MAC title
By: Justin Berndt
Issue date: 3/28/08 Section: Sports
The gymnastics team has one meet left to put it all together.
CMU competes in the Mid-American Conference Championship meet Saturday in Kent, Ohio. It will open the seven-rotation meet with a bye, followed by balance beam and then floor exercise. The Chippewas then will have their second bye before performing the vault, followed by the third bye and finally the uneven bars.
While host Kent State (11-3, 7-0 MAC) is the favorite, CMU coach Jerry Reighard said he believes his team can catch some teams by surprise.
"We can definitely come out and ring the bell in the fourth quarter, the fourth event," Reighard said. "Bars is a great event for us, and I know we can do that. The real test now is to duplicate the first three events (from Tuesday's practice)."
For the first time since 1990, CMU has no gymnasts on its roster who have won a title. But in each the last three seasons, CMU entered the championship meet expected to compete for a title. Since the Chippewas' last championship in 2004, the team has entered the last three championship meets with more momentum than they will have this season.
The heartbreak of coming so close in previous years would make a championship this year that much more special, said senior Jenna D'Alie. The Chippewas finished third last season as host Eastern Michigan won its first MAC title.
"It would probably mean a lot because every year we've been there, we've been picked to win or set up to win and we've had to count a fall every single year," she said. "So the fact that we should have had three (championships) already makes (senior) Danielle (Espinoza) and I want it even more."
For the seniors to get their championship, however, they may need some help from younger teammates. Freshman Andrea de la Garza, who has competed on all four events nearly the entire season, said she understands how important this meet is to her senior teammates.
"It's definitely important - we really want this not only for everybody but for the seniors as well," she said. "We want to get it and shove it in Kent's face. No one thinks we can do it, so we want to show them."
Reighard said the toughest challenge for his freshmen will be the pressure-packed environment they will enter in the final meet of the season. Reighard said Kent State fans employ gamesmanship tactics such as banging on the bleachers and jeering at the opposing gymnasts in an attempt to get inside the their heads.
"The biggest thing is the circus distractions that are going to take place," he said. "We've been in a couple tri-meets and quad-meets, but it's never been like it will be at this."
sports@cm-life.com
CMU competes in the Mid-American Conference Championship meet Saturday in Kent, Ohio. It will open the seven-rotation meet with a bye, followed by balance beam and then floor exercise. The Chippewas then will have their second bye before performing the vault, followed by the third bye and finally the uneven bars.
While host Kent State (11-3, 7-0 MAC) is the favorite, CMU coach Jerry Reighard said he believes his team can catch some teams by surprise.
"We can definitely come out and ring the bell in the fourth quarter, the fourth event," Reighard said. "Bars is a great event for us, and I know we can do that. The real test now is to duplicate the first three events (from Tuesday's practice)."
For the first time since 1990, CMU has no gymnasts on its roster who have won a title. But in each the last three seasons, CMU entered the championship meet expected to compete for a title. Since the Chippewas' last championship in 2004, the team has entered the last three championship meets with more momentum than they will have this season.
The heartbreak of coming so close in previous years would make a championship this year that much more special, said senior Jenna D'Alie. The Chippewas finished third last season as host Eastern Michigan won its first MAC title.
"It would probably mean a lot because every year we've been there, we've been picked to win or set up to win and we've had to count a fall every single year," she said. "So the fact that we should have had three (championships) already makes (senior) Danielle (Espinoza) and I want it even more."
For the seniors to get their championship, however, they may need some help from younger teammates. Freshman Andrea de la Garza, who has competed on all four events nearly the entire season, said she understands how important this meet is to her senior teammates.
"It's definitely important - we really want this not only for everybody but for the seniors as well," she said. "We want to get it and shove it in Kent's face. No one thinks we can do it, so we want to show them."
Reighard said the toughest challenge for his freshmen will be the pressure-packed environment they will enter in the final meet of the season. Reighard said Kent State fans employ gamesmanship tactics such as banging on the bleachers and jeering at the opposing gymnasts in an attempt to get inside the their heads.
"The biggest thing is the circus distractions that are going to take place," he said. "We've been in a couple tri-meets and quad-meets, but it's never been like it will be at this."
sports@cm-life.com
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