Gymnastics Heads to U.S. Air Force Academy to Take on Falcons

Gymnastics at U.S. Air Force Academy
Date	Saturday, Feb. 29 \| 6 p.m. MT
Venue	Air Force Academy, Colo. \| Cadet West Gym
Preview Info	Meet Notes
Live Stats	Live Results
Watch	YouTube.com
Twitter	@EMUGym \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team heads west as it travels to Colorado to take on the United States Air Force Academy Saturday, Feb. 29, at 6 p.m. MT. EMU enters the competition coming off a bye week, after finishing third in the Georgia Triangular, Feb. 14, with a score of 194.700 and then falling to Ball State, Feb. 16, 195.750-195.425. The Falcons recently finished second at a triangular they hosted, Feb. 15, that featured Mountain Pacific Sports Federation foe UC Davis and UW-Whitewater. USAFA scored 193.250, defeating the Warhawks score of 192.700, but falling to the Mustangs, who hit 195.475.

FOLLOWING THE MEET: Fans can follow the meet through live results or by following @EMUGym on Twitter. Links can be found on the EMU gymnastics schedule page located on EMUEagles.com.

LAST TIME VERSUS AIR FORCE: The last time these two teams met was back in 2014 when EMU and USAFA competed three times in a single season. Eastern Michigan lost the first two meetings out west, (Feb. 26, 2014 and March 1, 2014) 193.225-193.675 and 193.575193.825, respectively. For the third meeting of the 2014 season, the Eagles pulled out the victory inside Bowen Field House, 194.900193.900, March 8, 2014. The Green and White finished the year with a 1-2 record against the Falcons but hold a 5-4 record over the last 10 years.

LAST TIME OUT: Eastern Michigan had a busy weekend as it traveled to Athens, Ga. to compete in a triangular with host-Georgia and Mid-American Conference foe Ball State, Feb. 14. Afterwards, EMU boarded a plane back to the Midwest where it battled BSU in Muncie, Ind., Feb. 16. In the first meet of the weekend, the Eagles finished third, scoring 194.700, behind Ball State (194.725) and UGA (197.075). Despite the loss, Eastern saw career-highs from sophomore Charlotte Reynolds on bars (9.675), and classmate Kara Roberts on floor (9.820), and vault (9.825). Moving to Muncie, the Green and White fell again to the Cardinals, 195.750-195.425. Freshman Mickayla Stuckey had a solid day in her homecoming, earning a personal-best on floor of 9.800. Freshman Arileyah Harris and sophomore Carly Kosanovich also earned career-highs on bars and vault, scoring 9.800 and 9.700, respectively.

HELPER, HEPLER AND DAN THE MAN: A strong connection exists between the Eastern Michigan and Air Force athletic departments as two former EMU graduate assistants currently work for the Falcons. Tim Hepler was once the sports information director for gymnastics at Eastern and is now the Director of Graphic Design at USAFA. Dan Whitaker continues his path in athletic communications in Colorado as an Assistant Media Relations Director.

RELIABLE RONDEAU: Junior Jada Rondeau has been reliable for the Green and White so far this season. The Savage, Minn. native ranks in the top-10 in the MAC in all-around (third), on bars (third), and beam (tied for fourth). Rondeau is ranked 37th nationally in all-around as well.

TAKE NOTICE: The Green and White are attempting to put the country on notice, climbing the rankings in several categories. Eastern Michigan ranks higher than any other MAC school on beam, sitting 26th nationally. EMU also ranks 39th in overall average score (194.789), as well as 37th in the country on floor (48.868).

THE SATLER SPECIAL: Sophomore Caitlin Satler joined junior Cortney Bezold and senior Emili Dobronics as the only current Eagles to have scored a 9.900. Satler earned her career-high 9.900 on beam against NIU, Feb. 7. The Orland Park, Ill. native has seen success on beam, hitting 9.825-or-better four times this season. Satler won Mid-American Conference Specialist of the Week twice last season as a freshman, competing on beam and floor.

BEZOLD ON BARS: Junior Cortney Bezold has started her season where she left off last year, having already hit two scores of 9.850 before tying her career-high of 9.900 at Lindenwood, Feb. 2. The junior ranks second in the MAC on the apparatus with an average score of 9.825.

ATTACK THE MAC: The Eagles are making noise within the Mid-American Conference, sitting third in average overall score (194.590), 39th nationally. The Green and White rank high in a few categories throughout the conference, including first on beam (48.843), third on bars (48.496), and third on floor (48.868).

DARING DOBRONICS: A three-time regional qualifier, senior Emili Dobronics is working towards making it four-straight. The senior and co-captain of this year's squad is currently tied for fourth on floor in the Mid-American Conference and tied for 90th nationally, averaging 9.818 in the event. The Orland Park, Ill. native has already hit a score of 9.850, four times this season.

FRESHMAN FORCE: The Eagles brought in seven freshmen gymnasts this year and put them to work. EMU has four freshman that have competed so far this season in Hannah Hartung, Arileyah Harris, Molly Parris, and Mickayla Stuckey. In the MAC, only Central Michigan has more freshman seeing the competition floor at this point in the season with five.

BEZOLD, WE HAVE A WINNER: Sophomore Cortney Bezold claimed Mid-American Conference Specialist of the Week honors from the league office, Feb. 5. Bezold tied her career-high of 9.900 on bars at Lindenwood, Feb. 2, to earn the award. The Maineville, Ohio native clinched the first MAC award of the season for the Green and White, and the second of her career.

ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will be back in action in East Lansing Saturday, March 7, as they take on Michigan State inside Jenison Field House. The action will begin at 2 p.m. The Green and White hold a 1-3 record against the Spartans in their last four meetings, dating back to 2010.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Gymnastics Heads to U.S. Air Force Academy to Take on Falcons

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Players Mentioned

Cortney Bezold

Emili Dobronics

Arileyah Harris

Hannah Hartung

Carly Kosanovich

Molly Parris

Charlotte Reynolds

Kara Roberts

Jada Rondeau

Caitlin Satler

Mickayla Stuckey

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