Bowling Green State University
MAC Championships
Ali, Nocella Win MAC Titles as Falcons Place Fifth
March 23, 2013 | Gymnastics
Kalamazoo, Mich. - The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team celebrated two individual champions at the Mid-American Conference Championships, along with a fifth-place finish overall. Jamilah Ali tied for the win on vault (9.875), while freshman Alyssa Nocella won the balance beam outright with a score of 9.85. Additionally, head coach Kerrie Beach was honored as MAC Coach of the Year.
MEET RESULTS
VIDEOS FROM MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Falcons posted a team score of 193.750, highlighted by a 49.275 performance on floor exercise. The team was solid on vault (48.700) and beam (48.575), but a disastrous rotation on uneven bars cost the Falcons a higher placing. Host Western Michigan and Central Michigan tied for the MAC team title with scores of 194.800.
Ali and Nocella's individual wins mark the first time the Falcons have won multiple titles at the MAC Championships since 2001, when Marny Oestreng tied for first in the all-around and on vault. Following their wins, Ali and Nocella were both named to the conference's All-Tournament Team.
"I'm so proud of this team," Beach said. "They really could have just given up and said it was over and they didn't. They came back and did beautiful routines on balance beam and floor exercise. It was good to see them have good character and push to the finish. The future is so bright for this team. I'm really proud of this season and what they've been able to accomplish this year."
The Falcons began the meet on vault, with Nocella (9.7), Megan Harrington (9.675), Sunny Marchand (9.775) and Amanda Lievendag (9.675) hitting strong vaults with good landings to overcome a fall from the first performer. As the team's anchor, Ali came through with a near-stuck landing to tie her career high of 9.875. No gymnast bested that score for the remainder of the meet, giving Ali her first MAC title, after earning MAC Freshman of the Year honors last season.
Uneven bars was Bowling Green's downfall, as the team suffered three falls and posted only one score above 9.6. Caroline Ellingboe nailed her set to score 9.725, but misses from Monica Eaton, Nocella and Lievendag dug the Falcons into a hole with a 47.175 total on the event.
The Falcons rebounded on beam, again shaking off a fall from the lead-off gymnast. Maria Salvia (9.55), Harrington (9.675), Gina Locigno (9.725) and Ali (9.775) showed determination in hitting their routines, while Nocella moved through her difficult exercise with ease to claim first place on the event with a 9.85.
The team closed out the meet in stunning fashion on its best event - floor exercise. After a fall from Ellingboe, Megan Valentini came through with a career-best 9.825 as the second gymnast to go. From there, it only went up for the Falcons, as Locigno (9.875), Nocella (9.85), Harrington (9.9) and Ali (9.825) closed the meet with a bang. The total of 49.275 helped the Falcons fight back for a fifth-place finish.
The MAC Championships mark the final meet for the Falcons as a team in 2013. The team now waits to see if any individual gymnasts earn a bid to compete at the NCAA Regional Championships on April 6.
Jamilah Ali, 2013 MAC Vault Champion
Alyssa Nocella, 2013 MAC Balance Beam Champion
