Nationally-Ranked Eagles Hit the Road for First Time in 2015

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Following a season-opening victory at home to start the 2015 campaign, the No. 24-ranked Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team will hit the road to begin Mid-American Conference play. The start of conference action will be difficult for the Eagles as they travel north to face rival and defending MAC champion Central Michigan University. Also part of the weekend action in Mount Pleasant, Mich., EMU will battle against non-conference foe Seattle Pacific University. The tri-meet will take place Saturday evening, Jan. 17, at 7 p.m.

Chip Dip: Central Michigan enters the meet with a target on its back as the defending MAC Champions and preseason favorite to reclaim the title. The Chippewas split their first two meets of the season, defeating Division 3 UW-Eau Claire by a wide margin, 192.550-183.800, in the home opener, Jan. 3, before falling to No. 15 Illinois, 195.175-193.475, in another meet at McGuirk Arena, Jan. 11. The 2014 MAC Champion on bars, Kylie Fagan, returns for her senior season alongside classmate Halle Moraw, who was a First Team All-MAC honoree last season and captured the conference title on floor in 2013.
   The Eagles and Chippewas squared off against one another in three different meets during the 2014 campaign. The two first teamed up in the annual Michigan/Illinois Challenge, Feb. 1, 2014, recording the top two scores in the quad meet to soar past the Illinois institutions. Six days later, CMU got the best of Eastern at Bowen Field House by taking the conference dual, 195.925-194.600. Finally, the in-state rivals met up with the other five MAC foes at the Convocation Center, March 22, 2014, for the conference championship meet.

Scouting Seattle Pacific: The Falcons make the flight east for a meet against two foes from the Great Lakes State. In its first meet of the season, the Division II institution dropped a 193.025-191.200 decision to UC Davis at home, Jan. 9. The team score was the highest season-opening mark in nine years. The Falcons are led by sophomore Kristi Hayashida, who claimed the beam crown against UC Davis with a 9.825, as well as senior Sydney Clark and freshman Ariana Harger, a duo that tied for top honors on the floor exercise by earning identical scores of 9.725 from the judges. Clark competed in all four events versus the Aggies, tallying a 38.300 all-around total.

Gymnastics Cracks Top 25 in National Rankings: With an impressive score of 193.925 to start the season, the Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team has been ranked No. 24 in the NCAA National Rankings for the week of Jan. 12, released by GymInfo. This is the first time the Eagles have been ranked in the top-25 since the opening week of the 2013 season as well as just the second time since the 1997 campaign.

Complete Control: The Eagles kicked off the 2015 campaign with a dominating 193.925-187.200 victory over the Temple Owls, Jan. 9. In the first regular season meet under new Head Coach Jay Santos, EMU controlled the meet by claiming three of the four rotations in both team and individual scoring, including a combined mark of 48.800 on the floor exercise. The convincing win was Eastern's largest margin of victory since the Green and White soared past Ursinus, 192.800-185.100, Feb. 29, 2012.

First Collegiate Meet, No Problem: Several Eagles made their debuts against Temple, Jan. 9, and the majority of them seemed unfazed by the pressure that comes with a collegiate gymnastics meet compared to club gymnastics. Freshman Kendall Valentin was one newcomer who stood out, tying for the top score on vault with a 9.750 before her mark of 9.725 on bars placed her runner-up. Topping Valentin in the second rotation was Lacey Rubin. After sitting out last season due to injury, Rubin made her first meet as an Eagle a memorable one, tallying a 9.750 to win the bars title.
   Another pair of freshman made immediate impacts as well. Rachel Slocum placed third in the floor exercise with a 9.775 to help the Green and White achieve its highest score of the meet. Meanwhile, Catie Conrad competed on vault and beam, earning scores of 9.675 and 9.725, respectively. Her mark on the beam was tied for a team high with senior Carrina Lo Bello.

Sydney Steps Up: Although she competed last season, sophomore Sydney McEachern saw her responsibility increase immediately at the start of the 2015 campaign. In the dual win over the Owls, Jan. 9, the Winnipeg, Manitoba native was in the vault and bars lineups for the first time in her EMU career. She performed well, posting a score of 9.725 on vault to take third and placing fourth on bars after her routine earned a 9.625. Rounding out the meet for the sophomore, McEachern's floor exercise produced her best score of the night, a new career-high 9.800, to finish the event in second place.

The Floor Queen: Eastern Michigan ended its season-opening meet versus Temple, Jan. 9, on the floor exercise, putting together an impressive 48.800 for its highest event score of the night and capping off the dominating 193.925-187.200 victory in style. Much like she did during the 2014 season, senior Chantelle Loehner paced the Eagles with a routine that wowed the judges for a 9.850, tying her career high. Loehner is certainly used to claiming floor titles as she won three during the 2014 campaign. She got off to a great start in her final season as an Eagle by tying her personal best and capturing first place in the exercise.

Returning Home: Life on the road will not last long for Coach Santos and his squad as they return to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center for their next meet. The Eagles will host their first MAC dual of the season when No. 14 Bowling Green State University comes to town, Jan. 24. The matchup against the nationally-ranked Falcons is set to begin Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m.

Nationally-Ranked Eagles Hit the Road for First Time in 2015

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Players Mentioned

Catie Conrad

Carrina Lo Bello

Chantelle Loehner

Sydney McEachern

Lacey Rubin

Rachel Slocum

Kendall Valentin

Eastern Michigan Athletics