Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Tabbed For Fifth In MAC Preseason Poll
December 23, 2002 | Gymnastics
Dec. 23, 2002
CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Mid-American Conference gymnastics coaches have made their predictions for the 2003 season, and the Bowling Green State University squad has been tabbed to finish fifth in the seven-team race. The Falcons open the season with a home meet against Western Michigan on Jan. 12.
BGSU won the MAC's regular-season title last year, but the Falcons finished fifth at the league championship meet.
In a close vote, Central Michigan edged out the competition as the preseason favorite, as selected by the league's head coaches.
CMU, the runner-up at the 2002 league meet, finished first with 34 points. The Chippewas finished just four points ahead of Ball State (30), the defending league tourney champion. Kent State finished third in the voting with 28 points, followed by Eastern Michigan (25), BGSU (23), Western Michigan (15) and Northern Illinois (13).
The Chippewas and Golden Flashes of Kent State each finished the 2002 conference season with 4-2 records, while Ball State went 3-3. The Falcons had a MAC regular-season record of 6-0 a year ago, and went 19-5 overall.
With six of seven gymnastics coaches returning votes, CMU was the choice of two mentors to win the league's championship meet. Four other teams -- BSU, EMU, KSU and WMU -- each received one vote.
The Falcons of head coach Dan Connelly, the 2002 MAC Coach of the Year, will host three other regular-season meets, in addition to the Jan. 12 opener vs. WMU. BGSU also will host the 2003 MAC Championships on March 29.
MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Central Michigan...... 34 2. Ball State............ 30 3. Kent State............ 28 4. Eastern Michigan...... 25 5. Bowling Green......... 23 6. Western Michigan...... 15 7. Northern Illinois..... 13
Projected Championship winner
Central Michigan 2; Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Western Michigan 1
