Bowling Green State University Athletics
Title IX: A Look Back at Gymnastics
November 10, 2022 | General, Gymnastics
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, BGSU athletics is taking a look at the history of women's sports throughout the years. The information in this series was lifted from the book 'Forward Falcons: Women's Sports at Bowling Green State University' written by Janet B. Parks, Ann Bowers, and Adelia Hostetler Muti. Forward Falcons documents and preserves the history of Bowling Green State University women's sports from 1914 through 1982. During these pre-NCAA years, women coached most of the teams, and organizations composed primarily of women set the program standards.
To read the entire book, you can go to: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bgsu_books/3/
This series will also include some of our Heritage Sports and current teams.
Gymnastics
I n the fall of 1965, Betty Jean Maycock came to BGSU to study for her master's degree and to start a gymnastics club. Maycock was well-prepared for this assignment as she had participated in the 1959 Pan American Games and had won gold medals in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome as well as in the 1961 U.S. State Department's Good Will Tour of Russia. During the next few years, the Falcon gymnasts had a three-pronged approach—performing as a club, as an exhibition group, and as a team.
By second quarter, however, the South Gym in the Women's Building had become the practice facility for the women's team. This space, known today as the Mary Elizabeth "Eli" Whitney Dance Studio, must have been quite conducive to skill development because the Falcon gymnasts quickly became very good. Later that year, they had become so proficient that they captured second place in the Division II field of 10 teams in the 1971 Midwest Intercollegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships, being outpaced only by the University of Michigan. Falcon Franny Lowe won individual championships in the uneven parallel bars and floor exercise events.
In Simpson's first season, the Falcons had a 6-2 regular season record and came in second to Kent State at the 1975 Ohio Association of Intercollegiate Sports for Women (OAISW) meet (Level I). The highlight of the state meet was sophomore Theresa Hoover's championship in the balance beam. In 1975-1976, the Falcons again came in second in the OIASW meet. They placed ahead of Ohio State, Youngstown State, and Miami, but lost the top spot to their nemesis and perennial powerhouse, Kent State.
By the 1976-77 season, the Falcon gymnasts had completed the evolution to a highly competitive team. The gymnasts finished that year with an 8-2 record, and, for the third straight year, came in second to Kent State in the OAISW meet. As 1977-78 season dawned, The Falcons did have an excellent season, winning 14 of their 15 regular season meets. Although they once again ranked second to Kent State in the OAISW, the margin of difference had shrunk from 15.45 points in 1976 to only 1.75 points in 1978. Plus, this year the Falcons could brag about sophomore Cheryl Vasil's first place finish in vaulting!
After four years of being runners-up to Kent State in the OAISW meet, the 1978-79 Falcons were determined to be the first team in the history of OAISW gymnastics to defeat the Golden Flashes. Ultimately, their hard work paid off as they carried a 16-2 regular season record into the state meet, where they finally prevailed over Kent to win their first OAISW title. Another highlight of the 1978-79 season occurred when first-year student Linda Baxter captured 7th place in the all-around competition at the MAIAW, thus qualifying for nationals. Baxter was only the second Falcon gymnast in history to qualify for a national meet and was the first to do so at Level I competition. She was also the first Falcon gymnast to qualify for nationals since the advent of the AIAW.
As the 1979-80 season dawned, the Falcons were up to the challenge as they had an undefeated regular season (11-0-1) and placed only seven tenths of a point behind champion Ohio State in the OAISW meet. During the next two seasons, the Falcon gymnasts continued to excel. In 1980-81, Simpson's 7th season with the team, they finished 2nd to perpetual rival Kent State in the inaugural MAC gymnastics meet and 3rd in the final OAISW gymnastics meet, which was held at Miami University.
The 1981-82 Falcons were spectacular as they stole the show before a home crowd at the MAC meet. They not only won the championship, but they also took three of the five individual MAC titles: Laurie Garee—all-around competition and uneven bars and Dawn Boyle—floor exercise.
Charles Simpson, who was selected MAC gymnastics coach of the year in 1983, continued coaching the gymnastics team until his retirement from BGSU in 1996.
To read the entire book, you can go to: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bgsu_books/3/
This series will also include some of our Heritage Sports and current teams.
Gymnastics
I n the fall of 1965, Betty Jean Maycock came to BGSU to study for her master's degree and to start a gymnastics club. Maycock was well-prepared for this assignment as she had participated in the 1959 Pan American Games and had won gold medals in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome as well as in the 1961 U.S. State Department's Good Will Tour of Russia. During the next few years, the Falcon gymnasts had a three-pronged approach—performing as a club, as an exhibition group, and as a team.
By second quarter, however, the South Gym in the Women's Building had become the practice facility for the women's team. This space, known today as the Mary Elizabeth "Eli" Whitney Dance Studio, must have been quite conducive to skill development because the Falcon gymnasts quickly became very good. Later that year, they had become so proficient that they captured second place in the Division II field of 10 teams in the 1971 Midwest Intercollegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships, being outpaced only by the University of Michigan. Falcon Franny Lowe won individual championships in the uneven parallel bars and floor exercise events.
In Simpson's first season, the Falcons had a 6-2 regular season record and came in second to Kent State at the 1975 Ohio Association of Intercollegiate Sports for Women (OAISW) meet (Level I). The highlight of the state meet was sophomore Theresa Hoover's championship in the balance beam. In 1975-1976, the Falcons again came in second in the OIASW meet. They placed ahead of Ohio State, Youngstown State, and Miami, but lost the top spot to their nemesis and perennial powerhouse, Kent State.
By the 1976-77 season, the Falcon gymnasts had completed the evolution to a highly competitive team. The gymnasts finished that year with an 8-2 record, and, for the third straight year, came in second to Kent State in the OAISW meet. As 1977-78 season dawned, The Falcons did have an excellent season, winning 14 of their 15 regular season meets. Although they once again ranked second to Kent State in the OAISW, the margin of difference had shrunk from 15.45 points in 1976 to only 1.75 points in 1978. Plus, this year the Falcons could brag about sophomore Cheryl Vasil's first place finish in vaulting!
After four years of being runners-up to Kent State in the OAISW meet, the 1978-79 Falcons were determined to be the first team in the history of OAISW gymnastics to defeat the Golden Flashes. Ultimately, their hard work paid off as they carried a 16-2 regular season record into the state meet, where they finally prevailed over Kent to win their first OAISW title. Another highlight of the 1978-79 season occurred when first-year student Linda Baxter captured 7th place in the all-around competition at the MAIAW, thus qualifying for nationals. Baxter was only the second Falcon gymnast in history to qualify for a national meet and was the first to do so at Level I competition. She was also the first Falcon gymnast to qualify for nationals since the advent of the AIAW.
As the 1979-80 season dawned, the Falcons were up to the challenge as they had an undefeated regular season (11-0-1) and placed only seven tenths of a point behind champion Ohio State in the OAISW meet. During the next two seasons, the Falcon gymnasts continued to excel. In 1980-81, Simpson's 7th season with the team, they finished 2nd to perpetual rival Kent State in the inaugural MAC gymnastics meet and 3rd in the final OAISW gymnastics meet, which was held at Miami University.
The 1981-82 Falcons were spectacular as they stole the show before a home crowd at the MAC meet. They not only won the championship, but they also took three of the five individual MAC titles: Laurie Garee—all-around competition and uneven bars and Dawn Boyle—floor exercise.
Charles Simpson, who was selected MAC gymnastics coach of the year in 1983, continued coaching the gymnastics team until his retirement from BGSU in 1996.
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