Individual titles, gymnastics national championship hopes on the line in MAC tournament
A sign that reads “Area 51” hangs on the wall of the multi-purpose room to remind gymnastics why they sweat in practice every day.
It’s there to remind No. 18 Central Michigan of its goal: five individual champions and one team championship.
"Our goal is to have an individual champion on every event. That is a direct possibility," said head coach Jerry Reighard.
Accomplishing the feat would be tough, but it’s been done before.
The 2004 Chippewas won all four events and all-around and set a CMU and Mid-American Conference championship record scoring a 197.525 in the victory.
“(The favorites are) Kiki (Kirsten) Petzold on vaulting, Kylie Fagan on bars; I think we have three potential winners on beam in (Taylor) Noonan, (Emily) Heinz and Halle (Moraw) and we have three potential on floor between Halle (Moraw), Preslee (Harrald) and Taylor Bolender,” Reighard said.
CMU leads the MAC in all individual categories except all-around. Reighard said it has yet to be determined whether or not senior Brittany Petzold or junior Becca Druien will compete in the four events needed to be eligible for all-around.
Bolender is a threat on bars and floor, where last weekend she scored a 9.85 and a 9.9, respectively.
“I would love to (win an individual title) and I think that I definitely have a chance to,” Bolender said.
Besides the trophies to be awarded this week, the Chippewas are trying to hold on to the 18th spot in the rankings, the number Reighard said separates the contenders from the pretenders.
“The Top 18 are the teams that are looked at as being legitimate contenders to make it to the national championship,” Reighard said. “The judges definitely feel that you’re a contender if you’re in that pool, so I think it is very important.”
Regionals are held in two weeks and are held in six locations across the country.
In each regional, there is one team from the top six, the seven through 12th and 13th through 18th ranked with three from the 19th through 36th ranked teams. The top two from each regional advance to the national championships April 18-20.
“Right now I don’t think there’ll be too much moving up and down within the rankings,” Moraw said. “It would be great if we could get a high score and jump up a few spots.”
The Chippewas sit 18th, with a regional qualifying score of 196.165. If they score above a 196.150 Saturday, they will be guaranteed a spot in the Top 18, regardless of how the schools do below them.
Reighard said regionals won’t mean much if they lose the MAC tournament.
“That’s the pride, that’s what we’re here to do,” Reighard said. “It would actually seem a little hollow to be getting on to the tournament and not having that title.”
