Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Finish Fifth At MAC Championships
March 24, 2002 | Gymnastics
March 23, 2002
MUNCIE, Ind. - Host Ball State University claimed the first gymnastics title in program history at the 2002 Mid-American Conference Gymnastics Championships on Saturday afternoon (March 23). The event was held in Muncie, Ind.
The Bowling Green State University squad placed fifth, with a team score of 193.075.
The Cardinals posted a 195.375 to lead the competition. Central Michigan finished second with 194.975 and Kent State finished third (194.875), followed by Eastern Michigan (194.100), BGSU, Western Michigan (192.125) and Northern Illinois (190.875).
This marks the first time since the 1987 season that a team other than Central Michigan and Kent State have won the championship.
Central Michigan's Shanna Duggan claimed the vault title, posting a 9.900. BGSU senior Marny Oestreng finished second with a 9.875. Quiana Williams of Ball State and Kara Reighard from Central Michigan tied for third place, each garnering a 9.850.
Ball State's Renee Planck won the parallel bars event (9.900), while teammate Cassie Anthony took second (9.875). Tying for second with Anthony was CMU's Reighard and Kent State's Heather Langham.
Central Michigan earned the top spots on the balance beam. Bethany Couturier finished first with a 9.875, while teammates Duggan and Reighard finished second with a 9.825.
The floor exercise provided a six-way tie for first-place, each gymnast posting a 9.900. Oestreng, Ball State's Jenny Gantt and Central Michigan's Michele Orloski tied for the event, along with a trio of Eastern Michigan athletes -- Natalie Hashimoto, Leah Hashimoto and Sara Wasilenko -- each earned a share of the title.
Kara Reighard posted the top all-around score of the event with a 39.425. The MAC Freshman of the Year was followed closely by the MAC Gymnast of the Year, Eastern Michigan's Natalie Hashimoto, who earned a 39.350. Oestreng rounded out the medals podium with s third-place mark of 39.175.
Final Standings
1 - Ball State 195.375 2 - Central Michigan 194.975 3 - Kent State 194.875 4 - Eastern Michigan 194.100 5 - Bowling Green 193.075 6 - Western Michigan 192.125 7 - Northern Illinois 190.875
ALL-MAC FIRST TEAM *
* Due to ties in scoring, there is a 10-member All-MAC First Team and no All-MAC Second Team
RESULTS BY EVENT
TEAM STANDINGPl Team Vault Bars Beam Floor Total 1 - Ball State 48.775 49.050 48.250 49.300 195.375 2 - Central Michigan 48.925 48.975 47.775 49.300 194.975 3 - Kent State 48.625 48.850 48.225 49.175 194.875 4 - Eastern Michigan 48.900 48.100 47.675 49.425 194.100 5 - Bowling Green 48.225 48.175 47.575 49.100 193.075 6 - Western Michigan 47.425 47.850 48.425 48.425 192.125 7 - Northern Illinois 47.375 46.900 47.700 48.900 190.875VAULT
1 - Shanna Duggan (CMU) 9.900 2 - Marny Oestreng (BGSU) 9.875 3 - Quiana Williams (BSU) 9.850 Kara Reighard (CMU) 9.850UNEVEN PARALLEL BARS
1 - Renee Planck (BSU) 9.900 2 - Cassie Anthony (BSU) 9.875 Kara Reighard (CMU) 9.875 Heather Langham (KSU) 9.875 T5 - Mindy Untch (BGSU) 9.825BALANCE BEAM
1 - Bethany Couturier (CMU) 9.875 2 - Shanna Duggan (BSU) 9.825 Kara Reighard (CMU) 9.825 T17 - Melissa Popovich (BGSU) 9.675FLOOR EXERCISE
T1 - Jenny Gantt (BSU) 9.900 Marny Oestreng (BGSU) 9.900 Michele Orloski (CMU) 9.900 Natalie Hashimoto (EMU) 9.900 Leah Hashimoto (EMU) 9.900 Sara Wasilenko (EMU) 9.900ALL-AROUND
1 - Kara Reighard (CMU) 39.425 2 - Natalie Hashimoto (EMU) 39.350 3 - Marny Oestreng (BGSU) 39.175
