Gymnastics Takes Third at Michigan Classic

Complete Results.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team finished in third place at the 17th Annual State of Michigan Classic Friday evening, Feb. 6, at Crisler Arena on the campus of the University of Michigan.

The No. 16-ranked Wolverines took home top honors, finishing with a 195.925, followed by Central Michigan University in second (193.925) and Eastern Michigan third (190.650). Mid-American Conference rival Western Michigan University rounded out the field in fourth (188.075). Michigan State University, which has been a mainstay of the Classic since its inception, did not compete due to a scheduling conflict.

The Eagles are now 3-3 on the young season while U-M improves to 11-2. CMU also picked up a pair of victories to go to 6-1 on the year and WMU falls to 1-8.

The Eagles started the Classic on the floor with their best event of the night, posting a 48.350. Sophomore Nikole Viltz (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.-Carmel) and freshman Stacie Wood (Brantford, Ont.-Brantford Collegiate) finished in a tie for 13thplace with a 9.725. Juniors Mickalya Balow (Blaine, Minn.-Spring Lake Park) and Erin Grigg (North Bay, Ont.-Widdifield) finished close behind in a tie for 15th place with a mark of 9.700.

Grigg led the way for the Green and White on the vault with a season-best total of 9.825 in third place. As a team the Eagles notched a team total of 48.300, as Balow finished in a three-way tie for eighth place, registering a 9.700.

On the uneven parallel bars the Eagles struggled with a total of 47.275, their lowest score of the year on the event, opening the door for the Chippewas to move up from third place into second. Grigg, senior Monica Lucas (Winston-Salem, N.C.-Reynolds) and sophomore Jessica Perdoch (Reading, Pa.-Exeter Township) each record a 9.575 for a 14th place finish.

With the final rotation of the night looming, the Eagles took to the balance beam. Unfortunately, the beam would not play into the Green and White favor, as the squad managed a 46.725 Viltz and freshman Tracie Tamashiro (Honolulu, Hawaii-Kalani) finished with a 9.625 in a tie for ninth.

Grigg would place eighth in the all-around as the only EMU representative to compete in all four rotations.

Eastern Michigan will be idle until Sunday, Feb. 15, when the team takes part in the Second Annual Beauty and the Beast dual against Ball State University. Both the EMU gymnastics and wrestling teams will be in action, as the wrestling team will take on Kent State University. Originally scheduled for 6 p.m., the start time has been changed to 4 p.m inside venerable Bowen Field House.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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