Bowling Green State University Athletics
East, Mitchell Land on 2018 All-MAC Gymnastics Teams
March 21, 2018 | Gymnastics
MAC OFFICIAL RELEASE
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Bowling Green State University gymnasts Jovannah East and Laura Mitchell have been named to the 2018 All-MAC teams. The Mid-American Conference announced the annual postseason teams on Wednesday afternoon (March 21). East received first team All-MAC honors for the second time in her two seasons with the Falcons, while Mitchell earned a second team All-MAC spot for the second time in her career. Her initial All-MAC appearance occurred following her freshman season in 2015. This is the fifth consecutive year in which a BGSU gymnast has been named first team All-MAC and the sixth straight in which multiple Falcons have been named to the all-conference teams.
The All-MAC teams are determined via the final regular season Regional Qualifying Scores (RQS) in each of the four individual events (vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor exercise), as well as the all-around competition. Gymnasts with the MAC's best RQS in an event, including ties, are named first team All-MAC. The second team is comprised of gymnasts whose RQS ranks second or third in the MAC in an event, including ties.
Head coach Kerrie Turner said, "Jovannah and Laura have been steady competitors all season, and this honor is well deserved. The MAC is an incredibly competitive gymnastics conference, and it takes consistency and the ability score very well every week to reach these honors. I am certain this will give both Jo and Laura confidence as we prepare for the conference championships this weekend."
East, a sophomore from Zion, Ill., has become an unquestioned star for BGSU in her second season. After excelling as a freshman in three events, she added the uneven bars to her repertoire in 2018 and is now on the verge of qualifying for NCAA Regionals as an all-around gymnast. She leads the MAC with a 9.885 vault RQS. She also ranks third (9.890) on the floor and fourth (9.865) on the beam. For the all-around, she needs to complete the circuit in one more meet to earn an RQS; however, her average (39.205) ranks second among MAC gymnasts who already have an all-around RQS.
In addition to positioning herself for a second consecutive berth in the NCAA Regionals, East has gathered accolades throughout the season and has helped her team to one of its best seasons in program history. She is a two-time MAC Gymnast of the Week and has earned 18 event victories in 2018. Of those, nine have occurred on vault in 12 possible meets, including a perfect six-for-six in outright vault wins against MAC teams. As a team, BGSU's RQS (195.330) is second best in program history, and their 195.044 average score is a school record. The Falcons are the only team in the MAC to score 194+ in every meet during the 2018 season.
Mitchell, a senior from London, England, has capped her BGSU career with her best season on the balance beam. To date, she has tallied a 9.865 RQS on the beam, which ranks third in the MAC and is tied for her career best. She is currently in position to qualify as an individual for the NCAA Regionals for the first time in her career; she competed in the postseason meet in 2016 when BGSU qualified as a team.
The highlight of Mitchell's season occurred in a home meet against Central Michigan, when she became the first Falcon to break one of NCAA champion Marny Oestreng's four BGSU records by scoring 9.950 on the beam. She later equaled that feat at Kent State. On Senior Day against Northern Illinois, she added a 9.900 on the beam. Mitchell has three 9.850s and has scored 9.8 or better on beam in nine of 12 meets this season. She has also been one of BGSU's best performers on the uneven bars and the floor exercise, earning a 9.8+ RQS in those events for a second straight year.
Bowling Green concludes the 2018 season on Saturday, March 24 in Mount Pleasant, Mich. at the 2018 MAC Gymnastics Championships. The meet, which includes all seven MAC squads, will begin at 2:00 p.m. and will be televised live on ESPN3.
2018 ALL-MAC FIRST TEAM
Rachel Stypinski, Kent State
Jovannah East, Bowling Green
Anna Martucci, Northern Illinois
2018 ALL-MAC SECOND TEAM
Denelle Pedrick, Central Michigan
Ashley Potts, Northern Illinois
Gianna Plaksa, Central Michigan
Katy Clements, Central Michigan
Laura Mitchell, Bowling Green
Emili Dobronics, Eastern Michigan
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Bowling Green State University gymnasts Jovannah East and Laura Mitchell have been named to the 2018 All-MAC teams. The Mid-American Conference announced the annual postseason teams on Wednesday afternoon (March 21). East received first team All-MAC honors for the second time in her two seasons with the Falcons, while Mitchell earned a second team All-MAC spot for the second time in her career. Her initial All-MAC appearance occurred following her freshman season in 2015. This is the fifth consecutive year in which a BGSU gymnast has been named first team All-MAC and the sixth straight in which multiple Falcons have been named to the all-conference teams.
The All-MAC teams are determined via the final regular season Regional Qualifying Scores (RQS) in each of the four individual events (vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor exercise), as well as the all-around competition. Gymnasts with the MAC's best RQS in an event, including ties, are named first team All-MAC. The second team is comprised of gymnasts whose RQS ranks second or third in the MAC in an event, including ties.
Head coach Kerrie Turner said, "Jovannah and Laura have been steady competitors all season, and this honor is well deserved. The MAC is an incredibly competitive gymnastics conference, and it takes consistency and the ability score very well every week to reach these honors. I am certain this will give both Jo and Laura confidence as we prepare for the conference championships this weekend."
East, a sophomore from Zion, Ill., has become an unquestioned star for BGSU in her second season. After excelling as a freshman in three events, she added the uneven bars to her repertoire in 2018 and is now on the verge of qualifying for NCAA Regionals as an all-around gymnast. She leads the MAC with a 9.885 vault RQS. She also ranks third (9.890) on the floor and fourth (9.865) on the beam. For the all-around, she needs to complete the circuit in one more meet to earn an RQS; however, her average (39.205) ranks second among MAC gymnasts who already have an all-around RQS.
In addition to positioning herself for a second consecutive berth in the NCAA Regionals, East has gathered accolades throughout the season and has helped her team to one of its best seasons in program history. She is a two-time MAC Gymnast of the Week and has earned 18 event victories in 2018. Of those, nine have occurred on vault in 12 possible meets, including a perfect six-for-six in outright vault wins against MAC teams. As a team, BGSU's RQS (195.330) is second best in program history, and their 195.044 average score is a school record. The Falcons are the only team in the MAC to score 194+ in every meet during the 2018 season.
Mitchell, a senior from London, England, has capped her BGSU career with her best season on the balance beam. To date, she has tallied a 9.865 RQS on the beam, which ranks third in the MAC and is tied for her career best. She is currently in position to qualify as an individual for the NCAA Regionals for the first time in her career; she competed in the postseason meet in 2016 when BGSU qualified as a team.
The highlight of Mitchell's season occurred in a home meet against Central Michigan, when she became the first Falcon to break one of NCAA champion Marny Oestreng's four BGSU records by scoring 9.950 on the beam. She later equaled that feat at Kent State. On Senior Day against Northern Illinois, she added a 9.900 on the beam. Mitchell has three 9.850s and has scored 9.8 or better on beam in nine of 12 meets this season. She has also been one of BGSU's best performers on the uneven bars and the floor exercise, earning a 9.8+ RQS in those events for a second straight year.
Bowling Green concludes the 2018 season on Saturday, March 24 in Mount Pleasant, Mich. at the 2018 MAC Gymnastics Championships. The meet, which includes all seven MAC squads, will begin at 2:00 p.m. and will be televised live on ESPN3.
2018 ALL-MAC FIRST TEAM
Rachel Stypinski, Kent State
Jovannah East, Bowling Green
Anna Martucci, Northern Illinois
2018 ALL-MAC SECOND TEAM
Denelle Pedrick, Central Michigan
Ashley Potts, Northern Illinois
Gianna Plaksa, Central Michigan
Katy Clements, Central Michigan
Laura Mitchell, Bowling Green
Emili Dobronics, Eastern Michigan
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