Gymnastics Set For 2010 Season

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Under the tutelage of 28 year Head Coach Steve Wilce, the Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team begins its season Friday, Dec. 18, when the Eagles host the annual Green and White meet at Warner Gymnasium at 7 p.m.

The Eagles are coming off a fifth-place finish at the 2009 Mid-American Conference Championship and look to top that performance in 2010 with a solid core of experience coming back to go along with six newcomers, who are expected to make an immediate impact.

“We return the majority of our competitive lineup from a year ago and brought it six new people that we expect to significantly help our team,” Wilce said. “We expect to take a big step up this season from a year ago.”

Senior and regional qualifier Erin Grigg (North Bay, Ontario-Widdifield) returns as the team's top gymnast this season after an impressive 2009 campaign. Grigg competed in every meet for the Eagles last season, earning MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week accolades twice to go along with Academic All-MAC honors at the end of the season. Grigg ranked in the top 25 in the MAC in every event last season, including fourth all-around. She carded a career-best mark of 9.9 at the Eagle Invitational last year, finishing the competition with a career-best all-around mark of 38.825. Grigg concluded the season as the No. 12 ranked all-around performer in the region. This off season, Grigg has increased many things in her training by adding new dismounts to several of her routines, and Wilce expects her to be a leader on and off the mat.

“Erin is good enough to be one of the top gymnasts in the MAC and she's as good as any athlete I've ever coached at Eastern Michigan,” Wilice said. “We're able to build around Erin and we expect her to take a step up in stature.”

Mickayla Balow (Blaine, Minn.-Spring Lake Park), Samantha Golden (Denville, N.J.-Morris Knolls) and Lindsey Shilling (Orlando, Fla.-Edgewater) round out the senior class and all are expected to make an impact in their final season at EMU.

Balow competed in 10 meets for the Eagles last season, carding a season-best 9.7 on the vault at Western Michigan University, Jan. 18. Balow also tallied a season-best floor exercise mark of 9.75 at home against Ball State University, Feb. 15. She finished the season ranked 25th in the MAC on the vault and 22nd in the floor exercise.

“Mickayla was a very steady competitor for us last season and has really done well all three years leading up to her final season,” Wilce sad. “She's always been someone we can count on and who's been very consistent.”

Jessica Perdoch (Reading, Pa.-Exeter Township) and Nikole Viltz (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.-Carmel) headline the 2010 junior class, as both return after stellar 2009 seasons.

Perdoch competed in every meet for EMU in 2009, carding a career-best mark of 9.750 on the bars against Ball State University, Feb. 15. Perdoch had a solid performance on the beam at Central Michigan University, March 14, as her 9.775 was the highest mark she's recorded in her two seasons as an Eagle.

Viltz proved her dexterity last season by competing in every meet for the Eagles despite battling a stress fracture in her foot for the majority of the 2009 season. She carded a season best mark of 9.725 on the vault against Ball State, Feb. 15, while her high mark of the season came against Bowling Green State University, Feb. 1, as her 9.775 mark on the beam helped the Eagles claim victory in their home opener over the Falcons.

“Nikole is a much better athlete than a year ago and we're looking for 2010 to be her best year yet,” Wilce said. “She's stepped up significantly in every event this off season and we expect to get more out of her this year being that she's healthy.”

Rounding out the junior class is Grace Crouch (Bellbrook, Ohio-Bellbrook) and Heather Qualls (Albuquerque, N.M.-La Cueva), who both turned in solid 2009 campaigns and will help lead the Eagles in 2010.

After getting their feet wet in their freshman campaigns, sophomores Stacie Wood (Brantford, Ontario-Brantford Collegiate Inst.), Kristen Yourick (Albuquerque, N.M.-La Cueva), Kelli Fisher (Dayton, Ohio-Northmont) and Tracie Tamashiro (Honolulu, Hawaii-Kalani) come back with a year of experience under their belt. Redshirting as true freshmen last season and expected to contribute this season are Sabrina Thomas (Roswell, Ga.-Eaton Academy) and Amanda Fuller (Hamilton, Ontario-St. Mary's).

Wood had perhaps one of the best freshman seasons in recent history, earning an alternate bid to regionals in the floor exercise. Wood notched a career-best mark of 9.8 in the floor exercise at the Eagle Invitational, March 7. She also tallied career-best marks of 9.625 on the bars at Seattle Pacific University, Feb. 27, and a 9.7 on the beam at the Washington Invitational, Feb. 21.

“Stacie is continuing to develop and has taken steps forward this off season,” Wilce said. “She has upgraded her skills and she has a very good chance at competing in three events for us this year.”

Yourick competed in every meet for EMU as a true freshman last season as well, tallying a career-best mark of 9.825 in the floor exercise at the Eagle Invitational, March 7. Yourick also carded a 9.7 on the bars in EMU's home opener against BGSU, Feb. 1, a career-best score in the event.

“Kristen is one of those kids who has grown into the job,” Wilce said. “She makes a lot of routines and competes fairly well in every one of them.” “Both Kristen and Stacie will have a much easier transition going into their sophomore years because they've matured and know what to expect.”

The team welcomes half a dozen newcomers this season, including Brittany Byrd (Plano, Texas-Plano East), Brittany Cassar (Kings Park, N.Y.-Kings Park), Camille Cicchini (Royal Palm Beach, Fla.-Royal Palm Beach Community), Kristina Kurkmilis (Eagleville, Pa.-Methacton), Erica Mahan (Rochdale, Mass.-Notre Dame) and Kaylyn Millick (Washington, Pa.-Trinity).

“We have very talented people in that group who we expect to not only make an impact, but be difference makers throughout the season,” Wilce said. “One thing we're excited about is that many of them have solid track records of competing at the national level on multiple occasions coming into this season. They all have room to grow at the intercollegiate level and we're excited to see what we can get out of them.”

After the Green and White meet, the Eagles open up the regular season against the defending MAC champions when they head to Kent, Ohio to face the Kent State University Golden Flashes, Jan. 22. The team returns to the friendly confines of Warner Gymnasium for its home opener when Central Michigan University comes to Ypsilanti for a Jan. 30 meet at 7 p.m. Like last year, the Eagles will head west for spring break, only this time to the Golden State for a pair of competitions. The team begins with the Stanford University Invitational, Feb. 28, in Stanford, Calif. against the Stanford Cardinal, University of California and the Tarheels from the University of North Carolina. The team wraps up its west coast swing in Davis, Calif. for the University of California-Davis Invitational, March 5. The Eagles will take on UC Davis and Sacramento State University.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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