Bowling Green State University Athletics
Oestreng Named MAC Senior Gymnast Of Year
March 22, 2002 | Gymnastics
March 22, 2002
MUNCIE, Ind. - Bowling Green State University's Marny Oestreng has been named the Mid-American Conference Senior Gymnast of the Year. The award was announced at the MAC Gymnastics Championship banquet, held at the Alumni Center on the campus of Ball State University Friday (March 22).
Eastern Michigan junior Natalie Hashimoto was named the conference's Gymnast of the Year for the second straight season, while Central Michigan's Kara Reighard was tabbed as the league's top newcomer.
The MAC also honored Bowling Green as the league's regular-season champion. The Falcons posted a perfect 6-0 record in league meets and a 17-1 mark overall. The 2002 BGSU squad is the winningest team in school history.
Oestreng competed in every meet for the Falcons during her senior season and stands second in the conference on both the floor (9.925) and all-around (39.400). She is also ranked third on bars (9.875) and fifth on the beam (9.825). Oestreng, a four-time Gymnast of the Week this season, is the Falcons' all-time top performer in each of the four events and in the all-around. Oestreng leads the conference with most championship wins, posting eight event titles. The 1999 NCAA National Champion on the floor event, Oestreng was named the Gymnast of the Year and Freshman of the Year during her first year.
Hashimoto set the conference-high mark on the vault, posting a 9.950. Hashimoto is currently ranked 14th in the nation on the event, as well as 25th in the all-around. She has finished second or higher in the all-around in eight of the Eagles' nine meets this season. She is ranked third in the MAC on the bars (9.875) and all-around (39.325) and stands at second on floor (9.925). In her three years at Eastern Michigan, Hashimoto now holds at least a portion of every school record and holds the league standards on the vault (10.000), beam (10.000) and all-around (39.725).
Reighard made an immediate impact in the Central Michigan record book during her freshman campaign, posting the fifth best score in the all-around (39.325). She has been named the Gymnast of the Week three times this season and has placed in the top three of the all-around competition in nine of the Chippewas' 11 meets this season. Reighard competed in every meet for Central Michigan this season and holds season highs of 9.850 on vault and bars, 9.825 on beam, 9.900 on floor and 39.325 overall. Reighard is ranked third in the conference in the all-around and floor and ranked fourth on the floor and bars.
The 2002 MAC Gymnastics Championship will be held Saturday (March 23) at BSU's Worthen Arena.
(Portions of this article taken from the MAC's official web site [www.mac-sports.com])
