Bowling Green State University Athletics
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BGSU Picked To Finish Third in MAC Preseason Coaches Poll
December 20, 2016 | Gymnastics
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team has been picked to finish third in the 2017 Mid-American Conference Gymnastics Preseason Coaches Poll, as released by the conference office on Tuesday, Dec. 20. The poll was conducted among the head coaches of the seven conference teams.
The Kent State Golden Flashes were selected as the favorite to win the 2017 Mid-American Conference championship, but each of the seven teams received one first-place vote in the poll. Central Michigan finished second in the voting, while Eastern Michigan tied BGSU for third place. Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Ball State took the final three spots.
Bowling Green seeks to improve upon an outstanding 2016 season in which the team finished third at the MAC Championships and set new records for team scores. The Falcons posted their all-time best mark on Senior Day against NIU in a 196.500-195.475 victory, then followed that with a 195.625 at the MAC Championships. That score was their best-ever at the conference meet. Following the MAC meet, the team advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the first time in 25 years.
The Falcons return two individual MAC champions to the 19-player squad. Senior Lauren Feely was crowned all-around champion in 2016 with a total score of 39.300, while junior Laura Mitchell's 9.925 on the beam earned a MAC title. Fellow seniors Victoria Heath and Rachel Reis will cap their BGSU careers in 2017. However, the 2017 Falcons will be dominated by youth, as 13 of the 19 athletes on the roster are freshmen or sophomores, and those athletes are expected to provide a substantial positive impact.
Head coach Kerrie Turner returns for her tenth season at BGSU. Turner was the MAC Coach of the Year in the 2013 season.
2017 Gymnastics Preseason Poll
1. Kent State (1)
2. Central Michigan (1)
3. Bowling Green (1)
Eastern Michigan (1)
5. Northern Illinois (1)
6. Western Michigan (1)
7. Ball State (1)
The Kent State Golden Flashes were selected as the favorite to win the 2017 Mid-American Conference championship, but each of the seven teams received one first-place vote in the poll. Central Michigan finished second in the voting, while Eastern Michigan tied BGSU for third place. Northern Illinois, Western Michigan and Ball State took the final three spots.
Bowling Green seeks to improve upon an outstanding 2016 season in which the team finished third at the MAC Championships and set new records for team scores. The Falcons posted their all-time best mark on Senior Day against NIU in a 196.500-195.475 victory, then followed that with a 195.625 at the MAC Championships. That score was their best-ever at the conference meet. Following the MAC meet, the team advanced to the NCAA Regionals for the first time in 25 years.
The Falcons return two individual MAC champions to the 19-player squad. Senior Lauren Feely was crowned all-around champion in 2016 with a total score of 39.300, while junior Laura Mitchell's 9.925 on the beam earned a MAC title. Fellow seniors Victoria Heath and Rachel Reis will cap their BGSU careers in 2017. However, the 2017 Falcons will be dominated by youth, as 13 of the 19 athletes on the roster are freshmen or sophomores, and those athletes are expected to provide a substantial positive impact.
Head coach Kerrie Turner returns for her tenth season at BGSU. Turner was the MAC Coach of the Year in the 2013 season.
2017 Gymnastics Preseason Poll
1. Kent State (1)
2. Central Michigan (1)
3. Bowling Green (1)
Eastern Michigan (1)
5. Northern Illinois (1)
6. Western Michigan (1)
7. Ball State (1)
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