Gymnastics ends season with victory over Western Michigan, prepares for fifth consecutive MAC title
Gymnastics finished the regular season by returning to their elite form in time for the Mid-American Conference Championships.
No. 18 Central Michigan beat Western Michigan 196.175-194.350 at home Saturday for senior day. The team finished the regular season 15-3 overall and 5-1 in the MAC.
“(I'm) extremely proud of our routine today," said head coach Jerry Reighard. "If we continue on this route, we’re in good position for the championship in a week."
The Chippewas have built their program on a championship culture and let visiting teams know in their introduction video before every meet. In each of the last four titles, CMU concluded the regular season in victory, carrying plenty of momentum heading into the championship.
CMU has won the MAC championship the last four years in a row, sending last year's seniors out with a perfect career. Senior captain Brittany Petzold and Emily Heinz will strive to go out the same way.
Although the Chippewas struggled on bars, their roster was able to score more than 196 Saturday.
CMU will need to look out for Kent State, who handed the Chippewas their only conference loss of the year.
The Golden Flashes have a perfect 6-0 conference record. Their highest score this season is 196.275, below CMU's season-high of 196.500, achieved against Bowling Green.
“Going into a championship meet and having the rotation that we did (Saturday), I think it is very positive for our athletes to have the confidence that they just displayed,” Reighard said. “We just have to grow and develop a few things, one event can keep us from winning a championship.”
The victory will be short lived in preparation for the conference tournament.
"This week we're going to have MAC meet days, which means we simulate the MAC championships with practicing byes and our rotation," Heinz said.
If CMU can lockdown bars like Reighard has pledged to do, it will have no trouble scoring mid to high 196’s and adding another trophy to his collection.
And as for Heinz, she is looking to make it to nationals to get her name in the record book.
"My goal is to become a MAC champion on beam, which means I need a 9.975 to tie or a perfect 10 to get on the board," Heinz said. "Ultimately, we all want to make it to nationals this year."
The Chippewas have five practices to prepare for the championships at Eastern Michigan.
