WIAC Gymnastics Championship/NCGA West Regional
MENOMONIE (March 9, 2019) - A year after finishing eighth at the conference championship, UW-Stout stands on top of the league after winning the 2019 WIAC Gymnastics Championship/NCGA West Regional (presented by Culver's) Saturday at Johnson Fieldhouse.
The Blue Devils took a first in every individual event - the first time that has happened by an individual team since 1988 - to win the title by more than one point, scoring a school team record with 190.225 points. Stout finished eighth at the 2018 meet and are the first team in conference history to go from eighth to first in one season. The conference gymnastics title is the first in school history. Stout's previous best finish at the conference meet was third several times, as recently as 2017.
Coming into the season, the coaching staff thought this might be a building year, but saw a spark during fall practice.
"We figured out there was something special with this team this fall," Blue Devil head coach
Becky Beaulieu said and the team proved it tonight. "They very much have that championship culture. Their energy and their vibe controlled this meet."
And that championship vibe, determination and grit came down to the eighth and last rotation of the evening. The Blue Devils held a six-tenths lead over UW-Oshkosh, which was in the same rotation as the Blue Devils. Stout was on the balance beam and Oshkosh was on the vault. The Blue Devils scored a 47.475 on the balance beam, while Oshkosh scored a 46.800 on the vault. Oshkosh finished second in the meet with a 188.950 and UW-Whitewater scored a 187.425 to finish third.
Brooke Terry led the way for the Blue Devils on the balance beam with a 9.750, matching her best score of the season as she competed in the sixth position. Freshman
Britney Wolfe turned in a solid performance, chalking up a 9.725 to finish in a tie for second.
Terry, who had not competed in the all-around since Feb. 1 at the John Zuerlein Invitational, piled up a score of 38.075 to win the all-around, only the second time in her career she has broken 38. For the evening, Terry was fourth on the vault (9.500), 13th on the uneven bars (9.400) and scored a 9.425 on the floor exercise.
"Brooke looked a lot stronger in practice the past couple of weeks," Beaulieu said about reinserting Terry back into the all-around role.
Stout opened the afternoon on the floor exercise, and served notice right away, setting a school record on the event with a 48.350. Three Blue Devils set personal-best scores in the event.
Mikala Bugge scored a career-best 9.825 and that top score would hold throughout the rest of the competition. Bugge tied for the top prize with Hamline's Darby Slater.
Belle Ihde was in a three-way tie for third on the floor exercise with a 9.750.
Emma Sirjord placed 19th with a personal-best score of 9.600.
Shadae Boone set a personal-best in winning the vault with a 9.725.
Sierra Beaver and
Mallary Dick finished first and second on the uneven bars with Beaver scoring a 9.625 and Dick a 9.550. Beaver became the first Blue Devil to win a conference uneven bars title, breaking a four-year streak by UW-La Crosse gymnasts.
Bugge would add a third place finish in the all-around (37.750) and a fifth place finish on the vault (9.475) to earn three all-conference awards. The top-six individuals in each event are recognized as all-conference.
Stout earned three all-conference spots on the vault, two on the uneven bars, two on the balance beam, two on the floor exercise and two on the all-around for a total of 11. Boone became the fourth Blue Devil to win a vault title and the second consecutive champion following
Shaquilla Payne's 2018 title.. Beaver is the first Stout gymnast to win an uneven bars title. Terry is the fifth Blue Devil to win a balance beam championship and the fourth to win an all-around title. Bugge is the fourth Blue Devil to win the floor exercise.
Rounding out the scoring, UW-La Crosse was fourth with 186.550, Winona State University (Minn.) fifth with 185.675, Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) sixth with 184.725, Hamline University (Minn.) seventh with 184.275 and UW-Eau Claire eighth with 183.975.
The conference championship also served as the West Region qualifier for the NCGA Championship that will be hosted by UW-Oshkosh on March 23. UW-Stout, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Whitewater earned spots into the national event by placing in the top three. Individual qualifiers, as well as the All-NCGA Championship Team, are expected to be announced Sunday, March 10.
MORE BLUE DEVILS
- Sophomore Maddie Mullenbach led off the day's competition for the Blue Devils. As Mullenbach was about to start her routine, she turned to Beaulieu and told her she was performing her floor routine in honor of Beaulieu's sister, Kelly, who passed away in November. Mullenbach scored a 9.55 to start the Blue Devils off.
- Before every uneven bars routine, Mallary Dick makes a "W" with her hands, followed by an "M," representing "We before Me," then points at her teammates and the coaching staff.
- When the Blue Devils broke the school floor exercise record, they broke the school record that was set six years ago to the day, March 9, 2013., at the WIAC Championship/NCGA West Regional.
- Stout became the fourth team in conference history to sweep the individual titles, but the first since the WWIAC and the WSUC consolidated to become the WIAC. Oshkosh last accomplished the feat in 1988 when the Titans' Mary Levian won all five titles. Levian was part of the 1986 Oshkosh team that swept the titles. A sweep occurred at the first official conference championship when UW-Madison took all five top spots.
- Cassie Ehman was selected to the All-Sportsmanship Team. Team members are recognized that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school. The squad included: UW-Eau Claire's Amelia Moorhouse; Gustavus Adolphus College's Veronia Vasina; Hamline University's Mary Kelly; UW-La Crosse's Jessica Ahrens; UW-Oshkosh's Amira Ali; UW-Whitewater's Abby Helmke; and Winona State University's Leah Messelt. UW-La Crosse's Dani Barmore was the recipient of the WIAC Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award.
- The 2019 gymnastics team is not the first Blue Devil team to do a complete turnaround in one year. The 2000 Stout football team put together a 10-1 season, winning their first conference title in 35 years and earning the program's first NCAA playoff berth. The team was 2-8 overall, 1-6 in the conference standings and finished last.
- Stout, Oshkosh and Whitewater will be joined at the NCGA Championship in Oshkosh on March 23 by East qualifiers, Brockport State, Ithaca College and Cortland State. Brockport's 193.700 was a program and NCGA East Regional Championship record, as Ithaca was second with a 191.650. Cortland took the third and final spot for team qualification to nationals with a score of 188.175, just edging out Springfield College, which got a 188.100. Ursinus rounded out the top five with a 186.150, just ahead of Rhode Island College, which produced a 185.525.
Team Results
1) UW-Stout 190.225
2) UW-Oshkosh 188.950
3) UW-Whitewater 187.425
4) UW-La Crosse 186.550
5) Winona State 185.675
6) Gustavus Adolphus 184.725
7) Hamline University 184.275
8) UW-Eau Claire 183.975
VAULT Results
1)
Shadae Boone (Stout) 9.725
2) Abigail Missiaen (Whitewater) 9.525, Lauren Marshall (Whitewater) 9.525
4)
Brooke Terry (Stout) 9.500
5)
Mikala Bugge (Stout) 9.475
6) Sam Weyker (La Crosse) 9.425, Emily Gilot (UW-Oshkosh) 9.425
8) Amanda Malo (Gustavus) 9.400, Kaitlyn West (Winona) 9.400, Rahdea Jarvis (UW-Oshkosh) 9.400
11) Sophia Redding (Gustavus) 9.375, Darby Slater (Hamline) 9.375
13) Brooke Merila (Gustavus) 9.350,
Britney Wolfe (Stout) 9.350, Kaira Hammond (UW-Oshkosh) 9.350
16) Samantha Ardy (Gustavus) 9.325, Erika Briscoe (Whitewater) 9.325, Andrea Gessner (Eau Claire) 9.325, Jessica Bernardo (UW-Oshkosh) 9.325
20) Kennedy Utz (Winona) 9.300, Nikki Johnsen (Hamline) 9.300, Emily North (Whitewater) 9.300, Jessica Ahrens (La Crosse) 9.300,
Madison Latzke (Stout) 9.300, Amira Ali (UW-Oshkosh) 9.300
BARS Results
1)
Sierra Beaver (Stout) 9.625
2)
Mallary Dick (Stout) 9.550, Rahdea Jarvis (UW-Oshkosh) 9.550
4) Amanda Malo (Gustavus) 9.500, Samantha Ardy (Gustavus) 9.500, Blaisee Wilson (Whitewater) 9.500
7) Bailey Fitzpatrick (Whitewater) 9.475, Hannah Lewis (Eau Claire) 9.475
9) Anna Hiller (Winona) 9.450, Brooke Kachinsky (La Crosse) 9.450, Baylee Tkaczuk (UW-Oshkosh) 9.450
12) Megan Fayler (Eau Claire) 9.425
13)
Brooke Terry (Stout) 9.400, Emily Gilot (UW-Oshkosh) 9.400
15) Emily North (Whitewater) 9.375
16) Kaira Hammond (UW-Oshkosh) 9.350
17) Hannah Matuszak (Winona) 9.300,
Belle Ihde (Stout) 9.300
19) Ellie Beckman (La Crosse) 9.275
20) Sophia Redding (Gustavus) 9.175, Carolina Schlawiedt (Hamline) 9.175, Danielle Malecha (Eau Claire) 9.175,
Mikala Bugge (Stout) 9.175
BEAM Results
1)
Brooke Terry (Stout) 9.750
2)
Britney Wolfe (Stout) 9.725, Kaira Hammond (UW-Oshkosh) 9.725
4) Kelly Johnston (Winona) 9.650
5) Baylee Tkaczuk (UW-Oshkosh) 9.625
6) Emily North (Whitewater) 9.575, Franchesca Hutton (Whitewater) 9.575
8) Jessica Ahrens (La Crosse) 9.525
9) Meghan Webb (Hamline) 9.475, Emiko Wilks (La Crosse) 9.475, Clare Mascia (Eau Claire) 9.475
12) Samantha Ardy (Gustavus) 9.450
13)
Sierra Beaver (Stout) 9.425
14) Sunny Hasebe (Winona) 9.400, Ally Blixt (La Crosse) 9.400
16) Natalie Koehler (Winona) 9.375, Anna Hiller (Winona) 9.375, Acacia Fossum (Whitewater) 9.375, Alyssa Nore (UW-Oshkosh) 9.375
20) Katie Kalland (Hamline) 9.350
FLOOR Results
1) Darby Slater (Hamline) 9.825,
Mikala Bugge (Stout) 9.825
3) Amanda Malo (Gustavus) 9.750, Kiya Bjorge (Eau Claire) 9.750, Amelia Moorehouse (Eau Claire) 9.750,
Belle Ihde (Stout) 9.750, Jessica Bernardo (UW-Oshkosh) 9.750
8) Meghan Webb (Hamline) 9.725, Franchesca Hutton (Whitewater) 9.725, Olivia Keller (UW-Oshkosh) 9.725
11) Emma Grant (La Crosse) 9.700, Rahdea Jarvis (UW-Oshkosh) 9.700
13) Katy Trunk (Gustavus) 9.650
14) Brooke Merila (Gustavus) 9.625, Erika Briscoe (Whitewater) 9.625, Acacia Fossum (Whitewater) 9.625, Brittany Gutzkow (La Crosse) 9.625,
Shadae Boone (Stout) 9.625
19) Kacey Mortenson (La Crosse) 9.600,
Emma Sirjord (Stout) 9.600, Bailey Finin (UW-Oshkosh) 9.600
All-Around Results
1)
Brooke Terry (Stout) 38.075
2) Samantha Ardy (Gustavus) 37.850
3)
Mikala Bugge (Stout) 37.750
4) Emily North (Whitewater) 37.550
5) Jessica Bernardo (UW-Oshkosh) 37.300
6) Amanda Malo (Gustavus) 37.050
7) Kacey Mortenson (La Crosse) 36.700
8) Brooke Merila (Gustavus) 36.425, Darby Slater (Hamline) 36.425
