Gymnastics Season Comes To An End With Conclusion of NCAA Regionals

Saturday, April 2

TBA

4:00 PM (CT)

Bowling Green State University

193.850

NCAA Regional Championships

Photo by: Wade Events Photography

Gymnastics Season Comes To An End With Conclusion of NCAA Regionals

April 02, 2016 | Gymnastics

By: by Alexx Klein, BGSU Athletic Communications

Final Statistics
Photo Gallery

Tuscaloosa, Ala. – In the team's first trip to NCAA Regionals since 1991, the Bowling Green State University gymnastics team scored a 193.850 inside of Coleman Coliseum on the campus of University of Alabama April 2. This meet marks the end of a successful 2016 season for the Falcons.

"I am really proud of what they accomplished," said head coach Kerrie Turner. "It's a huge environment with over 10,000 fans here. They really competed aggressively. It was an exciting and great experience, and we look forward to getting back here next year and doing even better."

Sophomore Laura Mitchell, the 2016 Mid-American Conference Beam Champion, continued her success on the apparatus, tying for third overall with a 9.850. Junior Lauren Feely, the MAC All-Around Champion, placed sixth in all-around competition, scoring a 39.000. Senior Alyssa Nocella wrapped up her storied career as a Falcon, scoring a 38.825 in the all-around and placed eighth.

BGSU competed in its home rotation order: vault (48.375), bars (48.500), beam (48.475) and floor (48.500).

The Falcons began on vault, scoring a team total of 48.375. Feely paced BGSU with a 9.800, tying her for 10th, and fellow junior Victoria Heath followed with a 9.700. Nocella (9.650), Katie Morsefield (9.625) and Lauren De Meno (9.600) rounded out the top five for the Orange and Brown.

Following a second-rotation bye, Bowling Green competed on uneven bars (48.500) for its second event of the meet. Junior Rachel Reis led the way for the Falcons with a 9.775. Nocella anchored with a score of 9.750 and fellow all-arounder Feely scored a 9.725. Mitchell and Shannon Goniwiecha started first and second, respectively, for BGSU, earning a pair of 9.625s.

BGSU then moved to balance beam, where Mitchell continued her success on the apparatus. The sophomore scored a team-high 9.850, which ties the highest score ever on beam by a Falcon at NCAA Regionals (Megan Harrington, 2014). Other scorers for the Falcons on the event included Feely (9.725), Caroline Ellingboe (9.725), Nocella (9.675) and Heath (9.500). As a team, the Orange and Brown registered a 48.475.

The Falcons finished the meet on floor exercise following a fifth rotation bye. The team scored a 48.500, tying with bars for its highest event score of the meet. Heath earned a team-high 9.800, tying her for 14th place, and teammates Feely and Nocella were close behind with 9.750s. Freshman Kayla Rose recorded a 9.700 in the third slot for Bowling Green and Rachel Creagh, who led off the event, was the fifth scorer for the team (9.500).

"I really feel today was about a team effort, but of course individually you'll have some highlights," added Turner. "I had comments from other coaches saying what a beautiful beam routine Laura did, and she really deserved that score. Then Lauren has been so consistent through the end of the year here winning the MAC all-around, and coming in today and finishing sixth in the all-around. She has shown she is a top competitor in the all-around and I think she has a lot to look forward to next year."

This squad joins the 1991, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987 teams to qualify a team to NCAA Regionals.

With the conclusion of the meet, Bowling Green's season comes to a close. The Falcons placed third at MAC Championships and had two individual event champions in Mitchell (beam) and Feely (all-around). BGSU graduates two valuable pieces in four-time NCAA Regional qualifier Nocella, as well as 2016 co-captain Caroline Ellingboe. However, the Orange and Brown return three current juniors, along with the underclassmen and incoming freshmen as the team continues its hunt for a conference championship in 2017.