Keira Thornton Wins Floor Exercise MAC Championship to Pace the Falcons

Saturday, March 21

Bowling Green, Ohio

2 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

MAC Championship

Photo by: Kate Laney, BGSU Athletics

Keira Thornton Wins Floor Exercise MAC Championship to Pace the Falcons

March 21, 2026 | Gymnastics

By: Jaydon Romero | BGSU Athletics

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University (BGSU) hosted the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championships at the Stroh Center, placing 6th overall. Keira Thornton became the MAC Champion for the Floor Exercise, scoring a 9.925.

Thornton has captured the 37th Individual MAC Championship for the Falcons, the 20th person to become a MAC Champion, and the 7th Floor Exercise champion in school history. Thornton is the first MAC Floor and Individual Champion for BGSU since Kathryn Welibatcher in 2024.

Thornton's score of 9.925 was the highest score of any competitor in the championships.

BGSU outscored all six other schools on the Floor Exercise, scoring a 49.350 in the event. That score is the highest for Falcons in this event since March 17th, 2018, against Northern Illinois.

FINAL RESULTS

Central Michigan - 196.025
Ball State - 195.800
Kent State - 195.325
Eastern Michigan - 194.675
Western Michigan - 194.525
Bowling Green - 194.275
Northern Illinois - 193.675

INSIDE THE SCORESHEET

The Falcons finished with an overall score of 194.275, demonstrating consistent performance across their events.
VAULT - 48.425
BARS - 48.225
BEAM - 48.250
FLOOR - 49.350

VAULT (Rotation 1)

During rotation one, Bowling Green opened their day on vault and posted a score of 48.425.
The Falcons' 48.425 is the second-highest score on the Vault the Falcons have earned this season.
Keira Thornton got the Falcons started on the Vault, scoring a 9.700.
Emily Gianfrancesco scored a 9.650 on Vault.
Madison Coburn scored a 9.675 on Vault.
Megan Dzialo scored a 9.750 on the Vault, leading the Falcons .
Teegan Milligan scored a 9.650 on the Vault.
Natasha Lopez made her MAC Championships debut and scored a 9.150 on the Vault.

BARS (Rotation 3)

Megan Dzialo started the Uneven Bars off for the Falcons, scoring a 9.750.
Natasha Lopez scored a 9.675 on the Bars.
Addie Tandeski made her MAC Championships debut on the Bars, scoring a 9.625.
Kayla Shaw scored a 9.725 on the Bars.
Keira Thornton scored 9.450 on the Bars.
Nadia Parente scored 9.175 on the Bars.

BEAM (Rotation 4)

The Orange and Brown scored a 48.250 on the Balance Beam.
Faye Dubin got it started on the Beam for the Falcons, scoring a 9.750.
Natasha Lopez scored 9.550 on the Beam.
Madison Coburn scored 9.500 on the Beam.
Emily Gianfrancesco led the Falcons on the Beam, scoring a career high of 9.800.
Kayla Shaw scored an 8.875 on the Beam.
Megan Dzialo anchored the Balance Beam and scored a 9.650.

FLOOR (Rotation 6)

Rotation six was the final rotation for BGSU and took the Falcons to the Floor Exercise, where they scored a season high 49.350.
Three Falcons notched career highs during the Floor Exercise.
Emily Gianfrancesco started out the Floor Exercise for BGSU and scored a 9.775.
Nadia Parente went second and scored a career high of 9.850 on the Floor Exercise.
In Madison Coburn's final performance, she scored a 9.825 on her Floor Exercise.
Megan Dzialo scored a career high 9.875 on her Floor Exercise.
Keira Thornton shone on the Floor Exercise, scoring a team-leading and career-high 9.925 on her performance.
Kayla Shaw anchored the Floor Exercise and scored 9.875.