Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, December 10
Ann Arbor, Mich.
4 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Michigan (Ex.)
Photo by: Andrew Mascharka
Gymnastics Gains Valuable Experience in Exhibition at Michigan
12/10/2016 3:08:00 PM | Gymnastics
The Eagles competed in a true meet-like atmosphere at the Crisler Center
Photo Gallery
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's gymnastics team took part in an exhibition with Michigan, today, Dec. 10, at the Crisler Center. The Eagles utilized the opportunity to compete in a true meet-like environment, giving them an idea of what to expect when the season officially begins in January.
"Overall, I thought we had a great performance," remarked Head Coach Sarah Brown. "I thought our returners did a great job, and it was good to see some newcomers hit some strong routines. We learned a lot about ourselves and our routines, and we look forward to getting back in the gym and building off of this."
As the meet featured celebrity judging, official scores were not kept. Each event featured a pair of celebrity judges along with one official judge. Sam Webb and Ira Weintraub, hosts of The Michigan Insider on 1050 WTKA, teamed up for vault and floor, while Joey Namou of Mojo in the Morning on 95.5 and Marcus Ray, a former U-M football player and current studio analyst for the Big Ten Network, judged bars and beam.
The Eagles, as the away team, began the meet on bars. Senior Sydney McEachern (Winnipeg, Manitoba – Kelvin) got the event started with a strong routine, taking just a small step on the dismount. Junior Jules Schwartz (Gilbert, Ariz. – Mesquite) kept things rolling, sticking her double layout dismount, after which senior Lacey Rubin (Plainview, N.Y. – Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) hit a gorgeous routine. Juniors Catie Conrad (Brighton, Mich. – Brighton) and Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J. – Holmdel) closed out the event with two more strong routines, capping off a strong bars rotation for EMU.
Conrad led the Green and White off on vault, posting a clean yurchenko full with a tiny hop. Senior Kelsie Brooks (Winston, Ga. – Alexander) had a very powerful vault, taking a hop back, while McEachern followed with another hit for the Green and White. Schwartz continued the rotation, taking just a small hop after an otherwise clean vault. Sophomore Ciara Gresham (Shiloh, Ill. – Belleville), after competing vault just a handful of times last season, had a strong yurchenko full with great height and distance. Valentin, in the sixth spot, had a clean vault, after which sophomore Megan Hultgren (Rockford, Ill. – Sacred Heart Classical Center) made her EMU vault debut with a strong yurchenko half.
Brooks, in the leadoff spot on floor, had a solid routine, highlighted by a big double pike to begin. Following the senior, sophomore Sydney Audet (Sylvania, Ohio – Sylvania Northview) donned the Green and White for the first time, nailing her set, which included both a double back and a double pike. Junior Megan Marino (Girard, Ohio – Howland), in her first routine on the day, had a solid floor set, while fellow junior Kirsten Gendron (Birch Run, Mich. – Frankenmuth) followed with a beautiful routine of her own. Gresham posted another strong routine, earning a 10 from Sam Webb after her powerful tumbling.
Gresham, competing on beam for the first time, showed tremendous fight to stay on after wobbling following her series. After competing on beam throughout her freshman year, Hultgren looked like a seasoned professional, posting a strong routine for the Green and White in the third spot. Conrad kept the momentum going with a beautiful routine, and Rubin followed suit with a strong set of her own. Valentin concluded the meet on a high note with a gorgeous routine featuring a tough series.
The Eagles will kick off the regular season at home with a meet against Kentucky, Friday, Jan. 6. Action from the Convocation Center is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University women's gymnastics team took part in an exhibition with Michigan, today, Dec. 10, at the Crisler Center. The Eagles utilized the opportunity to compete in a true meet-like environment, giving them an idea of what to expect when the season officially begins in January.
"Overall, I thought we had a great performance," remarked Head Coach Sarah Brown. "I thought our returners did a great job, and it was good to see some newcomers hit some strong routines. We learned a lot about ourselves and our routines, and we look forward to getting back in the gym and building off of this."
As the meet featured celebrity judging, official scores were not kept. Each event featured a pair of celebrity judges along with one official judge. Sam Webb and Ira Weintraub, hosts of The Michigan Insider on 1050 WTKA, teamed up for vault and floor, while Joey Namou of Mojo in the Morning on 95.5 and Marcus Ray, a former U-M football player and current studio analyst for the Big Ten Network, judged bars and beam.
The Eagles, as the away team, began the meet on bars. Senior Sydney McEachern (Winnipeg, Manitoba – Kelvin) got the event started with a strong routine, taking just a small step on the dismount. Junior Jules Schwartz (Gilbert, Ariz. – Mesquite) kept things rolling, sticking her double layout dismount, after which senior Lacey Rubin (Plainview, N.Y. – Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy) hit a gorgeous routine. Juniors Catie Conrad (Brighton, Mich. – Brighton) and Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J. – Holmdel) closed out the event with two more strong routines, capping off a strong bars rotation for EMU.
Conrad led the Green and White off on vault, posting a clean yurchenko full with a tiny hop. Senior Kelsie Brooks (Winston, Ga. – Alexander) had a very powerful vault, taking a hop back, while McEachern followed with another hit for the Green and White. Schwartz continued the rotation, taking just a small hop after an otherwise clean vault. Sophomore Ciara Gresham (Shiloh, Ill. – Belleville), after competing vault just a handful of times last season, had a strong yurchenko full with great height and distance. Valentin, in the sixth spot, had a clean vault, after which sophomore Megan Hultgren (Rockford, Ill. – Sacred Heart Classical Center) made her EMU vault debut with a strong yurchenko half.
Brooks, in the leadoff spot on floor, had a solid routine, highlighted by a big double pike to begin. Following the senior, sophomore Sydney Audet (Sylvania, Ohio – Sylvania Northview) donned the Green and White for the first time, nailing her set, which included both a double back and a double pike. Junior Megan Marino (Girard, Ohio – Howland), in her first routine on the day, had a solid floor set, while fellow junior Kirsten Gendron (Birch Run, Mich. – Frankenmuth) followed with a beautiful routine of her own. Gresham posted another strong routine, earning a 10 from Sam Webb after her powerful tumbling.
Gresham, competing on beam for the first time, showed tremendous fight to stay on after wobbling following her series. After competing on beam throughout her freshman year, Hultgren looked like a seasoned professional, posting a strong routine for the Green and White in the third spot. Conrad kept the momentum going with a beautiful routine, and Rubin followed suit with a strong set of her own. Valentin concluded the meet on a high note with a gorgeous routine featuring a tough series.
The Eagles will kick off the regular season at home with a meet against Kentucky, Friday, Jan. 6. Action from the Convocation Center is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
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