Rose Wins Floor Exercise Title, BGSU Takes Second at 2017 MAC Championships

MEET RESULTS (.pdf)

PHOTO GALLERIES
Bianca Garza, BGSU Marketing and Communications
Rick Osentoski

Video Interviews Below
Kerrie Turner
Kayla Rose and Jovannah East

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University gymnastics team saved its very best for last in the 2017 season. Kayla Rose won a floor exercise co-championship, and BGSU put together its second-best score in school history to earn its best team finish at the Mid-American Conference Championships in 30 years. The 2017 MAC Gymnastics Championships were held in front of 2,016 fans at BGSU's Stroh Center on Saturday.

The Falcons began the meet with one of their three byes and thus had to watch four other teams begin the meet. Following the first rotation, BGSU began their end of the competition on the vault. The vault has been the team's best event all season, and the lineup features the MAC's two best vaulters. It did not disappoint on Saturday.

As they have throughout 2017, BGSU's vault lineup was deep and consistent. Senior Victoria Heath led off with a strong 9.825 that ultimately tied for eighth place. She was one of four Falcon vaulters to break the 9.800 barrier. Lauren DeMeno became one of the four with a 9.800.

Lauren Feely and Jovannah East closed the Falcons' vault performance with another pair of outstanding leaps. They each earned a 9.850 from the judges, scores which were ultimately good enough to tie for second place. East now has ten consecutive vaults of 9.850 or better, while Feely's is her sixth of the season. The pair helped BGSU tie it's season best vault team score (49.075).

Bowling Green was able to pause and gather its thoughts with another bye during the third rotation before proceeding to the uneven bars. The bars have been trouble all season for BGSU, as the team had broken 48.500 on the event just once in 12 meets. That was not the case today.

Feely started with one of her strongest routines of the season and helped the cause with a 9.750. Julia Beyer (9.750) and Lauren DeMeno (9.725) added to an effort that defined the meet for the Falcons. The final career bars routine resulted in a 9.825, then Laura Mitchell tied her season-best score with a 9.850. In total, the team's 48.900 on bars was its best mark of the season on the apparatus.

Lexi Augustine concluded the third rotation for BGSU with a season-best 9.575. BGSU's success on the bars clearly provided a boost that they carried with them for the remainder of the meet.

The Falcons continued the meet on the balance beam and received three top-ten performances. East tied for ninth place following a routine that resulted in a 9.850. Mitchell, the MAC's reigning balance beam champion, made a strong defense of her title with a season-best 9.875 which tied for seventh place.

India McPeak, competing in her first championship event, anchored the beam lineup. Her routine was nearly flawless, and she tied a school record by earning a 9.925. She finished the meet in sole possession of second place.

In addition, Alex Johnston tied her season-best with a 9.800. Those combined scores gave BGSU an event score of 49.175 – the team's best of 2017. Actually, it was the team's best of 2017 for about 30 minutes.

BGSU entered the final rotation of the meet in serious contention for the team championship. They needed a minimum of 49.025 on the floor exercise and to top Eastern Michigan (uneven bars) by 0.125 in order to win. Ultimately, EMU did not cooperate, but the Falcons responded with like champions.

All six performers in the Falcons' floor exercise lineup scored 9.700 or better, including seniors Victoria Heath (9.700, in her final collegiate routine) and Lauren Feely (9.725). Randi Morris set a new personal record with a 9.850, and Laura Mitchell equaled that score to tie her own career best. They each tied for tenth place. Jovannah East placed third with a career-best 9.925 to conclude her first championship meet.

However, in Bowling Green's last team competition of 2017, the team's best individual routine of the season was also its last. Sophomore Kayla Rose had the honor, and she rose to the moment. When her 9.950 was displayed, the Falcon faithful exploded with cheers. Rose won a co-championship and gave her team a MAC champion for the fifth consecutive season.

Rose's score gave Bowling Green a floor exercise total of 49.300, easily the team's best of 2017. It also improved the team's cumulative score to 196.400. That mark is the second-best in school history and gave the team a second-place finish, its best at the MAC Championships since 1987. MAC team champion Eastern Michigan (and BGSU's own school scoring record) was 196.500.

Following the meet, the MAC announced its annual individual end-of-season awards. BGSU freshman Jovannah East earned the league's 2017 Freshman of the Year award. She is the team's third Freshman of the Year winner in the last six years and its fifth overall.

The All-Tournament teams were also announced following the meet, and four Falcons were honored: Lauren Feely, Jovannah East, India McPeak and Kayla Rose. BGSU was second to only Eastern Michigan in number of gymnasts on the All-Tournament Team.

Bowling Green's team season is now complete. However, the team will likely still send several individuals to the NCAA Central Regional, which will be held in Champaign, Ill. in two weeks. Official invitations will be determined on Monday, Mar. 20, and fans can watch the selection show live on NCAA.com at 4:00 p.m. ET.

END OF YEAR MAC AWARDS
Freshman of the Year: Jovannah East, BGSU
Gymnast of the Year: Rachel Stypinski, Kent State
Senior Gymnast of the Year: Jessie Peszek, WMU
Specialist of the Year: Jamyra Carter, NIU
Coach of the Year: Sam Morreale, NIU

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Lauren Feely, Bowling Green
Jovannah East, Bowling Green
India McPeak, Bowling Green
Kayla Rose, Bowling Green
Kasey Janowicz, Central Michigan
Macey Hilliker, Central Michigan
Ciara Gresham, Eastern Michigan
Kendall Valentin, Eastern Michigan
Natalie Gervais, Eastern Michigan
Lacey Rubin, Eastern Michigan
Catie Conrad, Eastern Michigan
Rachel Stypinski, Kent State
Ashley Potts, Northern Illinois
Anna Corbett, Western Michigan
Jessie Peszek, Western Michigan
Rachael Underwood, Western Michigan

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