Gymnastics Set to Host the Eagle Invitational, Feb. 6

Gymnastics \| Eagle Invitational- Ball State, Kent State, and Western Michigan
Date	Saturday, Feb. 6 \| 4 p.m. ET
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Convocation Center
Preview Info	Meet Notes
Live Stats	Results
Meet Program	Program
Twitter	@EMUGym \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University gymnastics team will host its first ever quad meet inside the Convocation Center Saturday, Feb. 6, at 4 p.m. The team welcomes Ball State University, Kent State University, and Western Michigan University to Ypsilanti. The Eagle Invitational will also be the first time EMU has invited three teams to one meet since March 8, 2014, inside Bowen Field House.
   The Eagles (3-1; 1-1 MAC) are returning home after a loss to the Golden Flashes (3-0; 2-0 MAC), 194.875-194.050. The Broncos (1-1; 1-1 MAC) bested Central Michigan at home, 195.425-194.075. The Cardinals (2-0; 0-0 MAC) enter the quad after a dominating performance against Illinois State, 194.425-187.975. All four competing squads last meets were on Sunday, Jan. 31.

FOLLOWING THE MEET: Due to staffing issues beyond EMU's control, the scheduled ESPN3 production of the meet on Saturday, Feb. 6, has been cancelled. Please visit the team's social media accounts or link results for full coverage of the meet.

BEAMTOWN: Move over Boston, its not Beantown, its Beamtown here in Ypsilanti. The Eastern Michigan beam squad currently ranks 29th in the nation, with four EMU gymnasts breaking the top-10 in the MAC; 2nd- Shannon Gregory, 3rd- Caitlin Satler, 5th- Hadyn Crossen, and 8th- Jada Rondeau. Most recently, Satler tied her career-high (9.900) at Kent State, Jan. 31.

THE SATLER SALUTE: On Jan. 31 at Kent State, when junior Caitlin Satler saluted after sticking the dismount of her beam routine, the Eagles knew all too well what would come next. Satler earned the second 9.900 of her career, tying for first. The junior secured Mid-American Conference Specialist of the Week for the second time, and remains one of nine gymnasts in program history to earn the score on beam.

BEZOLD, THE BARS BALLAST: Senior Cortney Bezold, the only gymnast on the team to have competed in a NCAA regional competition, once again leads the bars lineup for Eastern. Bezold is averaging 9.833 on the apparatus in the young season and sitting second in the Mid-American Conference. The senior was tied for third in the conference when the 2020 season ended, and has yet to miss a podium in the 2021 season, having already collected a first and two second-place finishes in Eastern's first three meets. Furthermore, the Maineville, Ohio native earned MAC Specialist of the week honors, Jan. 26, for the fourth time in her career.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE GOLDEN FLASHES: Kent State is fresh in Eastern Michigan's mind after the Eagles were defeated 194.875-194.050, Jan. 31, by KSU. The Eagles led after two rotations but were unable to hang on, as the Golden Flashes turned it up on floor and beam.
   The Green and White saw another spectacular performance from junior Caitlin Satler. The veteran tied her career-high of 9.900 on beam to tie for first and scored 9.825 on floor, tying for fourth. Senior Cortney Bezold tied for silver on bars, scoring 9.825. Two gymnasts saw career-highs as junior Carly Kosanovich scored a 9.800 on vault, and freshman Raisa Boris earned 9.750 on floor. Sophomore Hadyn Crossen also contributed on her first beam routine of her college career, hitting 9.800 to finish third.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE CARDINALS: Feb. 16, 2020, inside Worthen Arena in Muncie, Ind., EMU lost a tough meet that saw the team put up 195.425, a season-high score. However, the Eagles were trumped by the Cardinals program-best score of 195.750.
   Then-junior Jada Rondeau got the squad started off right, tying her career-high of 9.850 on bars, claiming first. Then-freshman Arileyah Harris secured a personal-best in the event, scoring 9.800. Another former junior, Cali Harden put up the best vault score for Eastern, tying her career-high 9.800. Former Eagle Emili Dobronics, accompanied by cousin and then-sophomore, Caitlin Satler, and Rondeau all tied for first on beam, hitting 9.825's. On floor the Green and White saw another three-way tie, this time for third place, as Satler, Rondeau, and then-sophomore Kara Roberts scored 9.850, a career-best for Roberts. Mickayla Stuckey, a freshman at the time, also earned a personal-best on the floor, scoring 9.800 in her home state.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE BRONCOS: EMU last faced off against WMU, Jan. 24, 2020, in a 195.175-194.650 loss inside the Convocation Center, during its annual Epilepsy Awareness meet.
   The day saw then-sophomore Kara Roberts career-high with an all-around score of 39.000. Then-junior Jada Rondeau ended up finishing first in the all-around competition, tallying 39.175, which included two score of 9.825 on beam and floor, where she finished second and first, respectively. Rondeau's classmate Cortney Bezold took home gold on bars, hitting 9.850, and former Eagle Emili Dobronics tied for first on vault, earning 9.800.

SCOUTING THE MAC: In this season's Mid-American Conference preseason poll, it was Central Michigan picked to top the league. However, the Chippewas sit sixth in the conference after week 4, averaging 193.225. The Eagles currently rest in third place, averaging 194.408. Thus far is Kent State, averaging a team score of 194.717, followed by Western Michigan, 194.600. KSU and WMU were picked to finish third and fourth, respectively, in the preseason poll. Ball State (193.963) was tied with EMU in the poll but is in fourth at this time. Northern Illinois (193.500), who was picked to close out the year in second is in fifth. Finally, Bowling Green (190.550) finds themselves in seventh place.

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 competes 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.

HISTORIC BOWEN FIELD HOUSE: The last time Eastern Michigan hosted a quad meet was the Eagle Invitational inside Bowen Field House, March 8, 2014. On that day, the Eagles invited Northern Illinois, Air Force, and Temple to Ypsilanti, and finished second with a season-high score of 194.900. The Huskies claimed first place, scoring 195.100, while Air Force earned third (193.900), and Temple fourth (191.575), respectively.
   The Green and White saw key performances from former Eagle Anna Willette tying for third on beam with a personal-best score of 9.850. Her teammate Kelsie Brooks tied for third on bars, scoring a career-high of 9.750. Meanwhile, former gymnast Shawna Ciaramella tied for second on floor, earning a 9.750 career-best.

ON THE HORIZON: EMU will head to the Show-Me State Friday, Feb. 12, to take part in the GymQuarters Invitational at 4 p.m. CT. The team will compete against teams such as Ball State, Lindenwood, Illinois State, Air Force, and Southeast Missouri. The meet will be streamed on FloGymnastics.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Cortney Bezold

Raisa Boris

Kelsie Brooks

Shawna Ciaramella

Hadyn Crossen

Emili Dobronics

Shannon Gregory

Cali Harden

Arileyah Harris

Carly Kosanovich

Kara Roberts

Jada Rondeau

Caitlin Satler

Mickayla Stuckey

Anna Willette

Eastern Michigan Athletics