Falcons Host Michigan State To Open 2015 Season

Saturday, January 10

Bowling Green, Ohio

2:00 PM

Bowling Green State University

Michigan State

January 07, 2015 | Gymnastics

BGSU looks for first win over Big Ten Conference opponent since 2004.

By: by James Nahikian, BGSU Athletic Communications

BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY FALCONS (0-0; 0-0 MAC)
VS.
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY SPARTANS (0-0; 0-0 BIG TEN)
Saturday, Jan. 10 | 2 p.m. ET | Anderson Arena
Live Stats: "Beyond The Scores" App (Free download on iTunes, see below)
TV: BCSN
Follow Along: @FalconGymn | @BGAthletics
MEET NOTES (Bowling Green) | MEET NOTES (Michigan State)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team will open its season this Saturday (Jan. 10) at 2 p.m. against Michigan State inside of Anderson Arena. The Falcons enter the 2015 campaign fresh off their best finish at the MAC Championships in 22 years, as the Orange and Brown placed third. Bowling Green finished last season with a record of 7-9 (4-2 MAC).

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
Fans can follow live stats by downloading the app, "Beyond The Scores," on your smartphone or tablet. Create an account, add "Bowling Green State Gym Team" to your favorites, select the meet against Michigan State, and enjoy an interactive scoring system. Fans can also follow the BGSU Gymnastics team on Twitter @FalconGymn for in-meet updates, news and notes. Furthermore, Saturday's meet will be aired live on BCSN in the Bowling Green area. Links to live video (as available) and away-meet live stats can be found at BGSUFalcons.com.

HEAD COACH'S THOUGHTS
Kerrie Turner: "I am so excited to get the 2015 season started at home at Anderson Arena! Michigan State is an outstanding opponent, and we look forward to competing against them. Our team is well prepared for this meet. I am hopeful that confidence will shine through, and that it will be an excellent learning experience for our program."

ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans – guided by Kathie Klages, who enters her 26th season as head coach – finished the 2014 season with a record of 3-12. Michigan State went 2-5 in Big Ten play, and placed eighth at the conference championships. In the now 10-team conference with the additions of Rutgers and Maryland, the Spartans were picked to finish eighth in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches' Poll. Michigan State will be led by senior Alina Cartwright and junior Lisa Burt this season, who in December, were both selected as Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch for in 2015.

WHAT A WIN WOULD MEAN
* The triumph would be the Orange and Brown's first opening-meet victory since Jan. 9, 2011. On that day, the Falcons downed Illinois-Chicago, 190.225 – 185.525.
* A win on Saturday would be Bowling Green's second ever win over Michigan State. The Falcons last defeated the Spartans, 173.30 – 171.70, in 1984.
* A victory over the Spartans would be Bowling Green's first win over a current Big Ten Conference opponent since a 193.475 – 192.975 decision on Feb. 6, 2004 against Illinois. The Falcons – who were competing at the Cardinal Classic in Muncie, Indiana – also defeated Ball State that day to sweep the triangular.

PRESEASON POLL
BGSU was picked to finish second – along with Kent State – in the MAC Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's coaches. Central Michigan received five first-place votes and is tabbed to win the conference, while Bowling Green and Kent State each earned one first-place vote apiece. Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan were picked to finish fourth and fifth, respectively, with Ball State and Western Michigan bringing up the rear. The Falcons were picked to finish third last season, and fourth in 2013.

THE TURNER-ROUND
Kerrie Turner has completely turned around the program, and has morphed the Falcons into legit title contenders. Turner faced an uphill battle in 2011 when she coached a team comprised of 14 underclassmen, one junior and no seniors. The Falcons went 1-11 (0-6 MAC) that year, but have finished with a better record and have totaled more MAC wins in each of the next three years leading up to 2015. In 2012, BGSU went 2-12 (1-5 MAC) and followed that season up by going 5-11 (3-3 MAC). Furthermore, in 2013, Turner was named the MAC Coach of the Year. In 2014, Turner guided Bowling Green to the program's best season in over two decades by placing third at the MAC Championships – something that hadn't been accomplished in 22 years.

THE MAC CHAMPS ARE BACK
Three individual MAC Champions return to compete for the Orange and Brown this season. Amanda Lievendag scored a 9.850 last year to capture the vault title, one year after Jamilah Ali took the crown by posting a 9.875. Alyssa Nocella also won an individual championship in 2013, as she totaled a 9.850 to bring home the beam title. Central Michigan joins Bowling Green as the only two schools in the conference to return three MAC Champions. No other school returns more than one.

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR
The Falcons welcome two international student-athletes – Laura Mitchell (London, England) and Jordan Rae (Auckland, New Zealand) – into the fold this season. Mitchell has won five British titles, and competed at the Junior European Championships and the Youth Olympics in 2010. Rae placed fifth on vault as a part of New Zealand's Commonwealth Games team in Delhi, India in 2010, while also competing in the Netherlands (2010) and Japan (2011) at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

ROOKIES ROLL DEEP
Head Coach Kerrie Turner earned eight commitments on the recruiting trial last season, making this group the largest freshmen class since the 2009 team competed with nine freshmen. Morgan Denlinger, Vanessa Emery, Shannon Goniwiecha, Taylor Livingston, Laura Mitchell, Jordan Rae, McKenna Schoenberger and Krista Walberer will all look to compete for the first time as collegiate gymnasts in 2015.

#MakeHistoryNow
Sticking to Director of Athletics Chris Kingston's push for BGSU Athletics to "Make History Now," the Falcons wrapped up a historic 2014 season. The Orange and Brown went 4-2 in Mid-American Conference play, which was the best mark since the 2010 season. Bowling Green then wrapped up the year by placing third at the MAC Championships – the program's best finish in 22 years. The Falcons also sent three – junior Alyssa Nocella, senior Gina Locigno and graduate Megan Harrington – to the NCAA regionals in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

SCHOLASTIC ALL-AMERICANS
In August, nine Falcons were named Scholastic All-Americans by the National Association of College Gymnastics Coaches for Women (NACGC/W). Student-athletes must have a grade point average of 3.50 or higher to be honored. Lauren Feely, Rachel Reis, Alyssa Nocella, Caroline Ellingboe, Rachel Perry, Katrina Carpenter, Gina Locigno, along with graduates Megan Harrington and Megan Valentini, were recognized. Overall, the Falcons placed 18th in the nation with a team GPA of 3.4738, improving on last year's 3.1471 GPA that ranked 55th.

GYMNASTICS SIGNS THREE FOR 2016
In November, head coach Kerrie Turner announced the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent for the 2016 season. Julia Beyer (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley High School/Naperville Gymnastics Club), Chelsea Eley (Greensboro, N.C./Westchester Country Day School/High Point Gymnastics Academy) and Lauren De Meno (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville High School/Head Over Heels Gymnastics) will all join the program next fall.