Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Open Season On Wednesday Night
January 12, 2004 | Gymnastics
Jan. 12, 2004
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team will play host to Eastern Michigan inside the Eppler Complex on Wednesday, January 14 to open their 2004 schedule. The meet is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
The Falcon gymnastics team should show tremendous talent this year and be able to build off of last years 2003 MAC Championships, where the Falcons compiled their top score of 2003 with a score of195.175.
There are gymnasts from all over making up this team. Two members of the Norwegian World Championship team along with Junior National Champion Jessica Guyer and Level 10 National Championship competitors: Jillian Stranges, Sakura Tomita, Bethany Kenel, Missy Bruch, Kristin DiPietro, Bre Metzger and Melissa Popovich will lead a team so talented that they will be hard pressed not to be successful this year.
Floor
On the floor exercise the Falcons will be counting on senior Melissa Popovich and sophomore Jessica Guyer. Popovich placed fourth at the MAC Championships, while Guyer owned the top floor score with a 9.950 for BGSU.
Uneven Bars
Kari Elste and Popovich will be looked at for leadership on the uneven bars. They both placed 10th at the MAC Championships with scores of 9.850.
Vault
BGSU will have a lot to replace on the vault with the graduation of Kathy Emerson and Ann Marie Kassouf, BGSU's top vault performers last season. Kristen DiPietro, Marie-Eve Boisvert and Guyer should lead the Brown & Orange in this event.
Beam
The Falcons return plenty of experience on beam, with DiPietro, Guyer, Popovich and Pia Sjovall. All four scored at least a 9.800 on the beam at some point in the 2003 season.
The Schedule
The Falcons will also host MAC rivals Central Michigan and Northern Illinois. BG lost to all three of these schools in 2003 and will be looking for revenge. Also at home this year BGSU will host the All-Ohio Championship with Kent State and Ohio State. Ohio State is the defending champion with the Falcons having won this meet two of the four years it has been in existence.
Last, North Carolina will visit Bowling Green for a dual meet in a non-conference meeting. The Falcons will travel to: Southeast Missouri State and West Virginia for two non-conference contests while visiting Kent State for the MAC meet along with Western Michigan and Ball State's Cardinal Classic Invitational.
