Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, January 16
Philadelphia, Pa.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Temple
Gymnastics Readies For Season Opener at Temple Triangular
1/14/2021 9:25:00 AM | Gymnastics
The Eagles will compete against Temple and Towson, Jan. 16
| Gymnastics at Temple Triangular | |
| Date | Saturday, Jan. 16 | 7 p.m. ET |
| Venue | Philadelphia, Pa. | McGonigle Hall |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes |
| Live Stats | Live Results |
| Watch | ESPN+ |
| @EMUGym | @EMUAthletics | |
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team is set to open its 2021 season at the Temple Triangular on Saturday, Jan. 16, against host Temple University and Towson University. The meet it scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. This is the first gymnastics action EMU will see after having the season canceled March 13, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
FOLLOWING THE MEET: Fans can follow the meet through live results or watch on ESPN+, where Kevin Copp and Casey Addis will have the call. Links can be found on the EMU gymnastics schedule page located on EMUEagles.com.
LAST TIME AT TEMPLE: The Green and White last competed in the Temple Quad March 11, 2018, when it went head-to-head with Temple (host), Lindenwood, and Rutgers. The Eagles finished in third place, scoring 195.725, behind the Lions (196.400), and the Owls (196.050), but in front of the Scarlet Knights (184.500).
Cortney Bezold and Jada Rondeau made an impact in the meet as freshmen. Bezold posted a then career-high of 9.825 on bars. Rondeau finished with an all-around score of 38.950, scoring 9.7 on vault, 9.675 on beam, 9.825 on floor, and 9.75 on bars. Bezold, Rondeau, and senior Brianna Price are the only gymnasts left from that EMU roster.
MATH IS HARD: The NCAA is changing the way gymnasts qualify for the post-season. The National Qualifying Score (NQS) will now be calculated using the team or individuals four highest season scores and averaging them, to then rank and determine who qualifies. Of those four scores, two must be from away meets. Previously, the league calculated the NQS by using the top-six scores from the season, three being from away meets, and then dropped the top two of those six before averaging.
ALL-TIME AGAINST TEMPLE: EMU has seen success against Temple, holding an all-time record of 5-1. The Eagles also boast an undefeated record at home of 3-0 against the Owls, but have not been as successful away from Ypsilanti, holding a 1-1 record in those meets.
KEEPING THE STREAK ALIVE: Eastern Michigan has seen great success against Towson University, holding a current 3-0 record in the last three meetings. In 2016, the Eagles defeated the Tigers, 194.875-192.775, and followed it up in 2017, winning 196.00-193.075. In the most recent meeting during the 2019 season, the Green and White again came out on top, 194.225-192.875.
AND THEN THERE WERE THREE: What was originally slated as the Temple Quad, is now the Temple Triangular, as the University of New Hampshire will no longer be attending. The matchup would have been the first time Eastern had competed against UNH in 23 years.
KEY RETURNERS: The Eagles will look for big contributions this season from two veteran seniors, Cortney Bezold and Jada Rondeau. Bezold competed in every meet for the bars squad a year ago, tying her career-high score at Lindenwood, Feb. 2, and earning MAC Specialist of the Week Honors. Rondeau was an all-around competitor in every meet but one for the Green and White. The Savage, Minn. native earned a score of 9.825-or-higher 16 times, and collected 14 podium-finishes in the shortened 2020 season.
Two juniors and a sophomore will also seek to make their impact known in Caitlin Satler, Kara Roberts, and Mickayla Stuckey, respectively. Satler, having competed in every competition on beam, became the first EMU gymnast to hit a score of 9.900 on the apparatus since Kendall Valentin and Catie Conrad did it Feb. 10, 2017 against Kent State. The junior joined eight others in program history to have reached the feat. Roberts emerged as a staple in Eastern's lineup last season after returning from an injury that sidelined her for her freshman season. The Pinckney, Mich. native closed out the season with nine podium-finishes and six scores of 9.800-or-better. Rounding out the key returners is Stuckey, who stepped up for the team during her freshman year, competing in all nine meets. The sophomore hit a score of 9.825 at Lindenwood, Feb. 2, while collecting eight scores of 9.750-or-higher throughout the year.
NEW FACES IN THE GYM: Eastern Michigan will have five new faces in the gym this season; Raisa Boris, Katie Butler, Jordan Jankowski, Anna Grace McCullough, and Sophia Rios.
Boris comes to Ypsilanti as a two-time Junior Olympic qualifier (2018 & 19), as well as the 2018 Minnesota State Bars Champion. Jankowski comes to collegiate gymnastics having won three consecutive Texas State Championships with her team at Metroplex Gymnastics. McCullough was a two-time Eastern National qualifier in 2015 and 2016, then became a three-time Junior Olympic qualifier in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Rounding out the notable accolades is Rios, who was the 2017 Eastern National All-Around and Beam Champion. The freshman was also the 2018 and 2019 Level 10 Michigan State runner-up.
MAKING IT OFFICIAL: Eastern has a familiar face coaching in the gym this year in assistant coach, Sam Higgins. The Eagles have seen Higgins in a volunteer capacity for three seasons now, but this will be her first year as an assistant to head coach Katie Minasola. The Eastern Michigan graduate previously coached at Gym America as a team coach, and will take over coaching beam, as Minasola moves to instructing bars.
EAGLES ON ESPN3: For the fourth consecutive season, the Eagles will have their home meets broadcast on ESPN3. This season, fans will be able to watch their Eagles compete against MAC-opponent Bowling Green, Jan. 24, Western Michigan and Ball State for the Eagle Invitational, Feb. 6, followed by Kent State, Feb. 14, and close out the season with Senior Night against Bowling Green and Air Force in the Eastern Michigan Triangular, March 7.
ON THE HORIZON: The Green and White host Bowling Green State University, Sunday, Jan. 24, for their first home meet inside the Convocation Center for the 2021 season. The action will start at 1 p.m. and fans can tune into ESPN3 where Tom Helmer and Ashlee Buhler will have the call. Fans can also follow along on the live results page on EMUEagles.com.
FOLLOWING THE MEET: Fans can follow the meet through live results or watch on ESPN+, where Kevin Copp and Casey Addis will have the call. Links can be found on the EMU gymnastics schedule page located on EMUEagles.com.
LAST TIME AT TEMPLE: The Green and White last competed in the Temple Quad March 11, 2018, when it went head-to-head with Temple (host), Lindenwood, and Rutgers. The Eagles finished in third place, scoring 195.725, behind the Lions (196.400), and the Owls (196.050), but in front of the Scarlet Knights (184.500).
Cortney Bezold and Jada Rondeau made an impact in the meet as freshmen. Bezold posted a then career-high of 9.825 on bars. Rondeau finished with an all-around score of 38.950, scoring 9.7 on vault, 9.675 on beam, 9.825 on floor, and 9.75 on bars. Bezold, Rondeau, and senior Brianna Price are the only gymnasts left from that EMU roster.
MATH IS HARD: The NCAA is changing the way gymnasts qualify for the post-season. The National Qualifying Score (NQS) will now be calculated using the team or individuals four highest season scores and averaging them, to then rank and determine who qualifies. Of those four scores, two must be from away meets. Previously, the league calculated the NQS by using the top-six scores from the season, three being from away meets, and then dropped the top two of those six before averaging.
ALL-TIME AGAINST TEMPLE: EMU has seen success against Temple, holding an all-time record of 5-1. The Eagles also boast an undefeated record at home of 3-0 against the Owls, but have not been as successful away from Ypsilanti, holding a 1-1 record in those meets.
KEEPING THE STREAK ALIVE: Eastern Michigan has seen great success against Towson University, holding a current 3-0 record in the last three meetings. In 2016, the Eagles defeated the Tigers, 194.875-192.775, and followed it up in 2017, winning 196.00-193.075. In the most recent meeting during the 2019 season, the Green and White again came out on top, 194.225-192.875.
AND THEN THERE WERE THREE: What was originally slated as the Temple Quad, is now the Temple Triangular, as the University of New Hampshire will no longer be attending. The matchup would have been the first time Eastern had competed against UNH in 23 years.
KEY RETURNERS: The Eagles will look for big contributions this season from two veteran seniors, Cortney Bezold and Jada Rondeau. Bezold competed in every meet for the bars squad a year ago, tying her career-high score at Lindenwood, Feb. 2, and earning MAC Specialist of the Week Honors. Rondeau was an all-around competitor in every meet but one for the Green and White. The Savage, Minn. native earned a score of 9.825-or-higher 16 times, and collected 14 podium-finishes in the shortened 2020 season.
Two juniors and a sophomore will also seek to make their impact known in Caitlin Satler, Kara Roberts, and Mickayla Stuckey, respectively. Satler, having competed in every competition on beam, became the first EMU gymnast to hit a score of 9.900 on the apparatus since Kendall Valentin and Catie Conrad did it Feb. 10, 2017 against Kent State. The junior joined eight others in program history to have reached the feat. Roberts emerged as a staple in Eastern's lineup last season after returning from an injury that sidelined her for her freshman season. The Pinckney, Mich. native closed out the season with nine podium-finishes and six scores of 9.800-or-better. Rounding out the key returners is Stuckey, who stepped up for the team during her freshman year, competing in all nine meets. The sophomore hit a score of 9.825 at Lindenwood, Feb. 2, while collecting eight scores of 9.750-or-higher throughout the year.
NEW FACES IN THE GYM: Eastern Michigan will have five new faces in the gym this season; Raisa Boris, Katie Butler, Jordan Jankowski, Anna Grace McCullough, and Sophia Rios.
Boris comes to Ypsilanti as a two-time Junior Olympic qualifier (2018 & 19), as well as the 2018 Minnesota State Bars Champion. Jankowski comes to collegiate gymnastics having won three consecutive Texas State Championships with her team at Metroplex Gymnastics. McCullough was a two-time Eastern National qualifier in 2015 and 2016, then became a three-time Junior Olympic qualifier in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Rounding out the notable accolades is Rios, who was the 2017 Eastern National All-Around and Beam Champion. The freshman was also the 2018 and 2019 Level 10 Michigan State runner-up.
MAKING IT OFFICIAL: Eastern has a familiar face coaching in the gym this year in assistant coach, Sam Higgins. The Eagles have seen Higgins in a volunteer capacity for three seasons now, but this will be her first year as an assistant to head coach Katie Minasola. The Eastern Michigan graduate previously coached at Gym America as a team coach, and will take over coaching beam, as Minasola moves to instructing bars.
EAGLES ON ESPN3: For the fourth consecutive season, the Eagles will have their home meets broadcast on ESPN3. This season, fans will be able to watch their Eagles compete against MAC-opponent Bowling Green, Jan. 24, Western Michigan and Ball State for the Eagle Invitational, Feb. 6, followed by Kent State, Feb. 14, and close out the season with Senior Night against Bowling Green and Air Force in the Eastern Michigan Triangular, March 7.
ON THE HORIZON: The Green and White host Bowling Green State University, Sunday, Jan. 24, for their first home meet inside the Convocation Center for the 2021 season. The action will start at 1 p.m. and fans can tune into ESPN3 where Tom Helmer and Ashlee Buhler will have the call. Fans can also follow along on the live results page on EMUEagles.com.
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