Bowling Green State University Athletics
Gymnastics Opens Season This Weekend With Trip To Kentucky
January 03, 2005 | Gymnastics
Jan. 3, 2005
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team will begin their 2005 season by squaring off with the University of Kentucky on Saturday, January 8 in Lexington, Kentucky. The Falcons will look to build upon last season's bright spots, including a win over No. 19 North Carolina (195.125-194.425), capturing the Cardinal Classic title and posting the third highest score in school history versus Central Michigan (195.900).
A LOOK AT THE WILDCATS
Kentucky finished the 2004 season by placing seventh at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) with a score of 193.850. Michelle Gales, who posted a 39.250 in the all-around at the SEC Championships, will once again lead the Wildcats. Kentucky owns a 6-4 all-time series record over the Falcons. These two teams last met in 2003 with the Wildcats capturing a 192.200-189.200 victory.
FALCONS RETURN PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE
Even with the loss of Mid-American Conference Gymnast of the Year, Melissa Popovich, and fellow graduate Pia Sjovell, the BGSU gymnastics team will still return an abundance of experience with 14 returners, including three-year letter-winners Kristin DiPietro, Kari Elste and Breanne Metzger. The Falcons also have four juniors that have recorded two years of experience in Marie-Eve Boisvert, Jessica Bradley, Erin McCollam and Jessica Guyer.
METZGER "VAULTS" TO THE TOP
Breanne Metzger will be counted on to lead a group of performers on the vault after posting four scores of 9.725 or higher throughout the 2004 season, including a career-best 9.8 versus Western Michigan. Senior Kristin DiPietro (9.75) will be joined by juniors Erin McCollam (9.725) and Marie-Eve Boisvert (9.675) to provide depth in this event.
ELSTE PROVIDES STABILITY ON THE UNEVEN BARS
Senior Kari Elste, who placed first on the bars with a 9.875 (which ranks third in the BGSU record books) versus Western Michigan last season, will lead a group on the uneven parallel bars. Elste also won with a 9.85 versus Eastern Michigan and placed second at the All-Ohio Championships with a 9.875 in the same event. Boisvert won the event, and helped the Falcons to a win over North Carolina with a 9.85 on the bars, with junior Jessica Bradley posting a career-high 9.825 at the MAC Championships, good enough for fifth place.
DIPIETRO AND METZGER DISPLAY "BALANCING" ACT
The combination of DiPietro and Metzger will once again determine how the Falcons perform on the balance beam, but they may have some company. DiPietro established a career-high 9.85 in the opening meet of the season with EMU, only to surpass that mark a few weeks later with a 9.875 versus Kent State. Metzger posted four scores of 9.8 or higher, including a career-best 9.85 versus Kent State and EMU. Sophomore Sakura Tomita (9.7) should make tremendous improvements to add depth to the balance beam. Incoming freshmen Jamie Stambaugh, Melissa Stutzman and Jessica Ewart could also see action on the beam after posting scores of 9.75, 9.70 and 9.65 in the Orange & Brown scrimmage back on December 11.
FLOOR EXERCISE SHOULD BE EXCITING
The floor exercise will give BGSU fans some excitement, as several gymnasts should provide depth on the floor. Metzger (9.875), DiPietro (9.875), Erin Coudriet (9.85) and Swafford (9.825) all established career-highs throughout last season. With the return of a healthy Jessica Guyer and Bethany Kenel, the 2005 floor exercise should be exciting to watch. This returning class owns four of the top-10 performances on the floor exercise in school history.
FALCONS LOOKING FOR NEW ALL-AROUND LEADER
The departure of Melissa Popovich will be sorely missed, especially in the all-around category. Last season Popovich surpassed the 39.0 mark nine times and led BGSU to several victories. This season the Falcons will look to DiPietro, Metzger, Guyer and newcomer Jholen Ponce. DiPietro owns a career-best 38.975 in the all-around, while Metzger has posted a 9.8 or greater on every event in her career except bars. Guyer posted a 38.400 in her first career meet as a Falcon back in 2003 in the all-around, while Ponce posted a 37.900 in the scrimmage three weeks ago.
SCHEDULE REMINDER
Following the meet with the Wildcats the Falcons will return home on Sunday, January 16, when they will face off with Ball State at 2:00 p.m. inside the Eppler Complex
