Pink Out: BGSU Hosts Western Michigan Saturday Inside House That Roars

BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY FALCONS (5-6; 1-3 MAC)
VS.
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY BRONCOS (4-2; 2-2 MAC)
Saturday, Feb. 28 | 4 p.m. ET | Anderson Arena | Bowling Green, Ohio
Live Stats: www.BGSUFALCONS.com Follow Along: @FalconGymn | @BGAthletics
COMPLETE MEET NOTES (.PDF)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team will return to the friendly confines of Anderson Arena – after competing at two straight road meets – on Saturday, Feb. 28 to host the Western Michigan University Broncos at 4 p.m. The Falcons are currently ranked No. 41 in the country according to troester.com, and will have to move inside of the top 36 in order to qualify for the NCAA Regionals.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
A link to follow live stats for this weekend's dual meet with Western Michigan can be found at BGSUFalcons.com on meet day. Fans can also follow the BGSU gymnastics team on Twitter @FalconGymn for in-meet updates, news and notes, or BGSU Athletics @BGAthletics. Furthermore, Bowling Green fans can follow the gymnastics team on Instagram by searching "bgsu_gymnastics," or BGSU Athletics by searching "bgfalcons."

ABOUT THE BRONCOS
Western Michigan has competed in six straight dual meets to open the 2015 season, and own a record of 4-2 (2-2 MAC). At their last competition on Feb. 20, the Broncos scored a program-high 196.175 in a win over Kent State. Previously, Western Michigan's high for the season was a 194.445 that they earned on Feb. 8. Across its other four meets, Western Michigan hasn't registered above a 193.825. The Broncos Regional Qualifying Score is a 193.460, which ranks last among Mid-American Conference schools.

HEAD COACH'S THOUGHTS
Kerrie Turner: "I cannot wait for our team to be back in Anderson Arena this Saturday against Western Michigan. In addition to this being a MAC competition, this is also our Pink Meet and an important time to raise awareness and support. Western Michigan is an improving team and we will certainly be focused on doing our best routines. After a shaky meet this past weekend, I am eager to get the team back on track and develop a strong score to boost our Regional Qualifying Score. The team is hungry to compete well and I expect to see outstanding performances. Lastly, I am so excited to have our fans pack Anderson Arena in support of Falcon Gymnastics. Myself and the team encourage everyone to wear pink!"

WHAT A WIN WOULD MEAN
* A win over Western Michigan would move BGSU to 6-6 on the season, putting BGSU back on the right path in its quest to secure the program's first winning season since 2002.
* A victory against Western Michigan would be Bowling Green's second straight at Anderson Arena, and would move BGSU to 2-3 in MAC competition. At their last home meet, the Falcons scored a season-high 195.500 to knock off Ball State.
* A triumph on Saturday over Western Michigan would be Bowling Green's third straight over WMU. The Broncos haven't defeated the Falcons inside of Anderson Arena since 2011.

PINK OUT ANDERSON ARENA
Saturday's (Feb. 28) dual meet with Western Michigan will serve as Bowling Green's "Pink Meet." All fans will receive a free pink rally towel courtesy of Kroger, and #FalconGymnastics encourages all fans to wear pink. The competition will also serve as Faculty/Staff Day. Several individuals from around campus will be honored during the competition.

RACE TO REGIONALS
Monday (Feb. 23) marked the first week that NCAA rankings are determined by a school's Regional Qualifying Score (RQS). Bowling Green sits at No. 41 in the nation, with the top 36 schools earning an invitation to the NCAA Regionals. By scoring a 192.700 on Sunday (Feb. 22) at Central Michigan, the Falcons dropped the 192.425 that they scored at Eastern Michigan on Jan. 24, and improved their RQS from a 194.125 to a 194.180. The RQS is calculated by averaging your top three road scores and then your next three highest scores, while also dropping your top score.

34. Brigham Young – 194.845
35. West Virginia – 194.825
36. North Carolina – 194.725

41. Bowling Green – 194.180

FALCONS STRUGGLE AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN
The Falcons were defeated by Central Michigan, 196.125–192.700, Sunday (Feb. 22) afternoon inside of McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Bowling Green scored a season-low 47.175 on beam, and their second-lowest score (48.125) in 2015 on vault. The 192.700 team score was the third lowest that the Falcons have earned this season. The Orange and Brown did, however, improve their Regional Qualifying Score for the second straight week while competing on the road.

"BOE" SCORES BIG ON BARS
Junior Caroline Ellingboe – who hails from Excelsior, Minnesota – scored a career-best 9.875 on uneven bars last Sunday (Feb. 22) at Central Michigan to place third on the apparatus. Ellingboe's previous career high on bars was a 9.800. The junior never scored above a 9.800 on any event in her career before Sunday, as her career high on beam is also a 9.800 and her top score on floor is a 9.750. Ellingboe's 9.875 is tied for the second-highest individual score in 2015 for the Orange and Brown. Two other Falcons, sophomore Lauren Feely (vault) and freshman Laura Mitchell (beam) have also registered 9.875, while junior Alyssa Nocella's 9.925 on floor on Feb. 8 versus Ball State stands as BGSU's top score this year. The third-place finish was Ellingboe's third-career top-three finish.

MITCHELL CONTINUES MAGNIFICENT ROOKIE SEASON
Freshman Laura Mitchell – a native of London, England – finished second on balance beam for the Falcons at Central Michigan on Feb. 22. Mitchell has now earned four second-place finishes, to go along with her four first-place finishes. The freshman was named the Mid-American Conference Specialist of the Week on Feb. 9 for her performances against Ohio State (Feb. 6) and Ball State (Feb. 8), as she placed first on uneven bars in both competitions. In her collegiate debut at Eastern Michigan on Jan. 24, Mitchell won beam by posting a 9.850. The following weekend at George Washington on Feb. 1, Mitchell again placed first on beam by scoring a 9.875.

FEELY'S FEELIN' IT ON VAULT
Lauren Feely – a sophomore from Gurnee, Illinois – placed tied for second on vault in Mount Pleasant, Michigan last Sunday (Feb. 22) by registering a 9.850. The 2014 MAC Freshman of the Year has scored a 9.800 or above on vault in seven of Bowling Green's eight competitions in 2015, and hasn't earned below a 9.825 across the last four meets. Feely finished tied for first against Ball State on Feb. 8 when she scored a 9.825, and then won the event outright in her home state of Illinois on Feb. 15 in Bowling Green's triangular with Northern Illinois and Alaska Anchorage by notching a season-best 9.875.

"ALL-AROUND" ALYSSA WINS AGAIN
Junior Alyssa Nocella – a junior from Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania – has won four straight all-around titles, and is the only Falcon in 2015 to earn an all-around score in each of the Orange and Brown's eight competitions. Nocella was named the Mid-American Conference Gymnast of the Week for her dominating performances versus Ohio State (Feb. 6) and Ball State (Feb. 8), where she recording a total of seven top-three finishes across the weekend. Against the Cardinals, Nocella scored a career-best 39.350 on the all-around, which ranks tied for third best in program history. On the same day, the junior also won floor by posting a career-best 9.925, which is the fifth-best routine on floor in BGSU gymnastics history.

FRESHMEN ESTABLISH CAREER HIGHS AGAINST CHIPS
Freshmen Morgan Denlinger and McKenna Schoenberger established new career highs over the weekend at Central Michigan. Denlinger scored a 9.775 on bars to finish tied for sixth, while Schoenberger recorded a 9.775 on floor to also place tied for sixth. The two have served as specialists for head coach Kerrie Turner in their rookie seasons, competing on just the one apparatus each. The pair scored a 9.750 apiece on their respective events on Feb. 8 against Ball State, which stood as career bests until Sunday (Feb. 22).

CALL HER "CAREER-HIGH" HEATH
Sophomore Victoria Heath – who made her debut in the team's season opener against Michigan State on Jan. 10 – has established a career high in seven of Bowling Green's eight meets in 2015. At BGSU's triangular on Feb. 15 with Northern Illinois and Alaska Anchorage, Heath set career bests on floor and vault. Heath placed tied for fifth on floor by scoring a 9.825. Heath also finished tied for seventh on vault – an event she has competed on at every competition this season – by notching a 9.750. On Feb. 8 against Ball State, Heath posted a 9.750, which topped her 9.650 that she earned two days prior on Feb. 6 versus Ohio State.

BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK
For the first time in school history, BGSU gymnastics registered a team score above a 195.000 in back-to-back-to-back competitions. On Feb. 6, Bowling Green scored a 195.200 against Ohio State at Anderson Arena. Two days later – also inside of Anderson Arena – on Feb. 8, the Falcons defeated Ball State for their first Mid-American Conference victory in 2015 by totaling a 195.500. On Feb. 22 at Northern Illinois, the Orange and Brown scored another 195.200 to finish second at a triangular in DeKalb, Illinois. The 195.500 ranks eighth in school history, while the pair of 195.200 scores are tied for the ninth-best team score in program history.

TOP ROUTINES IN 2015
All-Around: 39.350 | Alyssa Nocella (2/8/15 vs. Ball State)
Bars: 9.875 | Caroline Ellingboe (2/22/15 at Central Michigan)
Beam: 9.875 | Laura Mitchell (2/1/15 at George Washington)
Floor: 9.925 | Alyssa Nocella (2/8/15 vs. Ball State)
Vault: 9.875 | Jamilah Ali, Lauren Feely (1/10/15 vs. Michigan State; 2/15/15 at Northern Illinois)

HISTORIC WEEKEND AT ANDERSON ARENA
Bowling Green returned to Anderson Arena on Feb. 6 and Feb. 8 after competing in three-straight road meets. On Feb. 6, the Falcons scored a 195.200 in a dual-meet loss against Ohio State. On Sunday, Feb. 8, the Orange and Brown earned its first Mid-American Conference victory of the season by defeating Ball State, 195.500–193.875. The two team scores rank eighth and tied for ninth in program history, respectively. Against Ohio State, 10 season highs were set, along with six career highs. And versus Ball State, 11 season bests were set, and eight career highs were established. Freshman Laura Mitchell and senior Amanda Lievendag tied for first on bars versus the Buckeyes. And against the Cardinals, sophomore Lauren Feely and Lievendag tied for first on vault, while Mitchell took the bars title again and junior Alyssa Nocella won floor. Nocella also won the all-around both nights.

DOWN GOES SPARTY
Bowling Green opened the 2015 season with a 194.775–194.075 victory over Michigan State. The win was the program's first over a Big Ten Conference opponent since 2004. The triumph was also the Orange and Brown's second ever win against the Spartans, with the only previous win taking place in 1984. The Falcons bested Michigan State on vault (48.850), bars (48.675), and floor (48.650), and individually, took home the vault and bars titles. Senior Jamilah Ali scored a meet-high 9.875 on vault, while fellow senior Amanda Lievendag won bars with a 9.850. Bowling Green's team score of 194.775 was its highest at in opening meet since 2001.

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.

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