Gymnastics Set for Purple Meet Showdown at Home

Gymnastics vs. Central Michigan
Date	Sunday, Feb. 8 \| 1 p.m.
Venue	George Gervin GameAbove Center \| Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (Coming Soon!)
Watch \| Stats	ESPN+ \| Live Stats
Follow Us On X	@EMUGym \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern returns home Sunday at 1 p.m. ET for a Mid-American Conference showdown against Central Michigan inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center in Ypsilanti, Mich. EMU's 10th annual Purple Meet will raise awareness for epilepsy and honor Ella Dover, who battles epilepsy, while also welcoming alumni back for the meet. The competition will stream on ESPN+ with Brent Balbinot and Aleena Markowicz on the call.

QUICK TOUCHES

» Eastern enters the 2026 season in its 50th year as a varsity gymnastics program after launching in 1976.

» EMU holds an all-time overall record of 367-350-2.

» From available records dating back to 2003, Eastern owns a 76-103-1 record in regular-season MAC meets.

» Eastern is entering the ninth year of the Head Coach Katie Minasola era. EMU posted a 6-8 (2-5 MAC) record in 2025.

» Finished as the MAC Championship Runner-Up in 2025 with a team score of 195.525.

» EMU MAC gymnasts to watch are senior Kyrie Lowe and sophomore Keeley Kohler.

» Freshman Georgie Slack is believed to be the first gymnast in EMU history to be from Europe.

» Eastern checks in at No. 56 nationally in this week's Road To Nationals rankings.

» Eastern is 3-0 at home this season, marking back-to-back years opening 3-0 inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.

» The win over Wilberforce marked Eastern's largest home victory margin since Jan. 24, 2021.

» Eastern swept all four events and the all-around against Wilberforce, the second full event sweep of the season.

» Gwen Cantu won vault for the second time this season with a 9.700 as Eastern swept the top five spots on the event.

» Kyrie Lowe earned her second bars win of the season with a 9.650, tying Analiah Solorio, who picked up her first bars win of the year.

» Jackie Patterson won beam for the second time this season with a 9.850, the highest score of the meet.

» Abby Brushwood claimed her third floor win of the season with a 9.825 against Wilberforce.

» Eastern adjusted its bars lineup order, opening with Analiah Solorio and featuring Sanai Evans for her second bars routine of the season.

» Lowe captured her third all-around title of the season with a 37.875.

» Eastern last faced Central Michigan on Feb. 14, 2025, in Mount Pleasant, where Ella Chemotti won beam with a 9.925, tied for the fourth-highest score in program history.

IT'S OUR BIRTHDAY!

As EMU gymnastics marks its 50th varsity season in 2026, the program stands among the longest-running in the Mid-American Conference after launching in 1976 and competing when the MAC began sponsoring women's gymnastics in 1981. The Kent State gymnastics program began in 1959, making it among the earliest in the nation and within the league. Northern Illinois began its gymnastics program in 1978. Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Ball State, and Bowling Green all competed as MAC members when the conference first sponsored the sport in 1981.

WHERE THEY STACK UP

Eastern checks in at No. 56 in this week's national rankings, following the latest update from Road To Nationals.

NATIONAL RANKINGS (MAC ONLY):

35. Central Michigan

39. Ball State

42. Kent State

46. Western Michigan

55. Bowling Green

56. Eastern Michigan

61. Northern Illinois

EASTERN VS. THE MAC

From available records dating back to 2003, Eastern owns a 76-103-1 record in regular-season MAC meets.

HOME COOKIN'

According to available records dating back to 2003, Eastern has been strong at home with a 72-44 regular-season record. Eastern posted a 6-2 mark at home during the 2025 season. The win over Wilberforce pushed Eastern to 3-0 at home this season, continuing the Eagles' strong run inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center. Eastern will also host the Mid-American Conference Championship next season.

HOME PERFECTION

From available records dating back to 2003, Eastern last completed an undefeated home season in 2015 and followed it with another unbeaten home campaign in 2016.

LAST TIME VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN

The most recent meeting with Central Michigan took place Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, inside McGuirk Arena in Mount Pleasant, where Eastern posted a 194.150 team score and fell in a tightly contested MAC matchup. Ella Chemotti delivered one of the standout performances of the night, winning beam with a 9.925, tied for the fourth-highest score in program history and marking her fourth career beam score of 9.925 or higher. Abby Brushwood continued her strong stretch on floor, capturing the event title with a career-high 9.875 while extending her streak of five straight meets at 9.800 or higher. Eastern found momentum on beam and floor, totaling a season-best 49.025 on beam and a 48.900 on floor. Raisa Boris added a 9.850 on beam to place second, while Kyrie Lowe recorded a 9.800 on floor and finished second in the all-around with a 38.625.

SERIES HISTORY VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN

Eastern and Central Michigan have met 36 times since the series began Feb. 2, 2003, with Central Michigan holding a 28-8 advantage. Eastern owns a 5-10 record at home and a 1-14 mark on the road, with two wins coming at neutral sites. Eastern has won three of the last 10 matchups, including a neutral-site victory in January 2024. The largest EMU win in the series came Jan. 26, 2008, by a 193.050-189.325 margin, while the closest victory was a 189.600-189.475 result on Feb. 11, 2006. Across the full series, the teams have averaged 193 points per meet.

SHAKING UP THE LINEUP

Eastern debuted a new look on bars, adjusting the order across the rotation. Analiah Solorio led off for the Eagles, followed by Gwendelyn Cantu, Sanai Evans, Keeley Kohler, Kyrie Lowe, and Georgie Slack. The shift marked Evans' second time this season on bars, and her eighth career appearance after competing on the event in every meet last season.

LAST MEET RECAP VS. WILBERFORCE

FIVE FOR FIVE

Eastern controlled all four events against Wilberforce, marking a complete sweep for the Eagles.

» Gwen Cantu captured vault for the second time this season with a 9.700, as Eastern claimed the top five spots on the event.

» Savanna Dunwoody followed in second at 9.675, while Georgie Slack and Kendall Landry tied for third with 9.625 scores. Abby Brushwood rounded out the sweep in fifth with a 9.575.

» On bars, Kyrie Lowe earned the event win with a 9.650, marking her second bars victory of the season, while Analiah Solorio shared the top spot with the same score to claim her first bars win of the year.

» Beam belonged to Jackie Patterson, who won the event for the second time this year and posted the highest score of the meet with a 9.850.

» Floor closed the sweep as Brushwood claimed her third floor win of the season.

» Lowe capped the night by winning the all-around for her third time this season with a 37.875. The performance marked the second time this season Eastern has swept every event, with the previous sweep coming against Bowling Green on Jan. 11, 2026.

VAULT SETS THE SWEEP

Eastern opened the meet on vault with a 48.200 team score and took control right away. Gwen Cantu won the event with a 9.700, her second vault title of the season, as the Eagles swept the top five spots. Savanna Dunwoody followed with a 9.675, while Kendall Landry and Georgie Slack tied for third at 9.625. Abby Brushwood rounded out the sweep with a 9.575 as Eastern built early separation.

BARS STAY IN EMU HANDS

The Eagles carried momentum to bars with a 46.875 team total. Kyrie Lowe and Analiah Solorio shared first place with matching 9.650 scores. Lowe earned her second bars win of the season, while Solorio picked up her first event title this year and matched her season best. Slack added a season-high 9.525, and Keeley Kohler followed with a 9.175 as Eastern continued to control the meet.

BEAM BELONGS TO PATTERSON

Beam followed with a 48.000 team score as Eastern stayed sharp. Jackie Patterson claimed the beam title with a 9.850, the highest score of the meet and her second beam win of the season. Katin Childress placed second with a 9.725, Solorio added a 9.650, and Macy Nihart matched her season best with a 9.625 to close the lineup. Genae Daniel added a career-high 9.700 in exhibition.

FLOOR CLOSES THE DEAL

Eastern finished strong on floor with a 48.500 team score to complete the sweep. Abby Brushwood won the event with a 9.825, her third floor title of the season. Priya Karle followed with a new season high of 9.750, while Lowe posted a 9.675. Dunwoody recorded a 9.650, Nihart added a 9.600, and Sanai Evans capped the night with a career-high 9.500.

ALL-AROUND AUTHORITY

Lowe sealed the night by winning the all-around with a 37.875, leading Eastern to a home win that pushed the Eagles to 3-0 at home for the second straight season.

STATEMENT AT HOME

The win over Wilberforce marked Eastern's largest home victory margin since Jan. 24, 2021, when the Eagles defeated Bowling Green by 52.7 points.

PURPLE MEET

EMU Gymnastics hosts its annual Purple Meet to raise awareness for epilepsy and to honor Ella Dover, a cherished member of the EMU family. Dover was part of the program through Team IMPACT for four years after signing a ceremonial letter of commitment in 2016, joining the team for practices, meets, and activities. While her time with Team IMPACT has ended, her connection to EMU has only grown stronger. Dover lives with chronic epilepsy and experiences multiple seizures each day, yet she continues to inspire the program with her positivity, resilience, and constant smile. The Purple Meet celebrates her impact while bringing the EMU community together in support of epilepsy awareness.

ALUMNI MEET

EMU Gymnastics welcomes former Eagles back for Alumni Meet, a celebration of the program's past and the people who built it. Alumni who RSVP will receive on-floor recognition during the second rotation of the meet. Former gymnasts are encouraged to register in advance. Please use the link in our social media bios to RSVP and be part of the in-meet recognition.

PREVIOUSLY IN THE 2026 SEASON NOTES

IN THE RANKINGS
Eastern ranked 50th nationally at the conclusion of the 2025 season (Road To Nationals). The highest EMU has been ranked in program history (started tracking in 1998) was the 2016 team, which ranked 17th in the nation.

NATIONAL RANKINGS (MAC ONLY):
40. Central Michigan
44. Kent State
45. Ball State
47. Western Michigan
50. Eastern Michigan
56. Northern Illinois
59. Bowling Green

MAC GYMNASTS TO WATCH
» Kyrie Lowe and Keeley Kohler were named to the 2026 MAC Gymnasts to Watch list.
» Lowe returns as one of the league's top bars performers after competing in 11 meets during the 2025 season with four first-place finishes on bars and two all-around wins.
» Lowe ranked fifth in the MAC on bars in 2025 and recorded a career-best 9.900 against Ball State on March 14.
» As a junior in 2024, Lowe competed in 12 meets and posted eight scores of 9.800 or higher, contributing to a season-best vault total at Kent State on March 3.
» Kohler earned recognition following a strong sophomore campaign, appearing in 11 meets during the 2025 season.
» Kohler posted a season-high 9.850 on bars against Ball State, March 14, establishing herself as a consistent contributor in the lineup.

PRESEASON PROGNOSTICATIONS
(First Place Votes)
1. Central Michigan – 33 points (3)
2. Kent State – 31 points (3)
T3. Ball State – 23 points (1)
T3. Eastern Michigan – 23 points
5. Western Michigan – 19 points
6. Bowling Green – 12 points
7. Northern Illinois – 6 points

MAC Tournament Champion: Central Michigan (3), Kent State (3), Western Michigan (1)

LOOKING BACK • 2025 SEASON
» EMU finished with an 6-8 overall record for the 2025 season with a 2-5 mark in MAC duals.
» MAC Championship Runner-Up finish with a team score of 195.525, the second-best team total of the season.
» Season-best vault score of 48.925 recorded at the MAC Championships.
» The team posted a 49.300 floor score at the MAC Championships, ranking as the top floor score of the season and the seventh-best floor mark in program history.
» Raisa Boris placed second in the all-around at MACs with a 39.075 and earned First Team All-MAC honors.
» Abby Brushwood tied for second on floor at MACs with a career-high 9.900.
» Kyrie Lowe placed third in the all-around at the MAC Championships with a 38.950.
» Three All-MAC selections for the first time since 2015.
» Eight Eagles earned Academic All-MAC honors in 2025.
» Boris competed in all-around at NCAA Regionals for the second straight season.
» Brushwood became the first EMU gymnast on floor at NCAA Regionals since 2021.

HELLO! MY NAME IS...
» The incoming class includes freshmen Savanna Dunwoody, Adysen Mazzoni, Macy Nihart, and Georgie Slack, along with transfer Kendall Landry from Minnesota.
» As a group, the class brings three Level 9 championships, six state titles, one Level 10 championship, seven national qualifiers, and one national champion.
» Macy Nihart enters with one of the strongest resumes in the class after winning Level 10 Michigan State titles on vault, bars, floor twice, and all-around, along with two national qualifier appearances.
» Kendall Landry brings Division I experience after competing two seasons at Minnesota, helping the Gophers finish second in the Big Ten in 2024 and third in 2025, while also earning Academic All-Big Ten honors.
» Savanna Dunwoody qualified for nationals five times at the club level and helped her team capture a national title during her senior season.
» Adysen Mazzoni claimed a Level 9 Eastern Nationals title and earned a spot at Development Program camp after four years of training at LaFleur's Gymnastics.
» Georgie Slack is believed to be the first international gymnast in program history, joining from Uttoxeter, England, after competing in the all-around at Thomas Alleyne's High School.

FUTURE ADDITIONS
» EMU adds three freshmen all-arounders for the 2027 season.
»The incoming class includes Bailee Norris, Karalyn Key, and Riley Sheppard.
»The trio brings six combined Level 10 national qualifications, a Level 10 regional vault champion, and a Level 10 state floor champion.
» Bailee Norris arrives as a five-year Level 10 gymnast, four-time national qualifier, Level 10 regional vault champion, Level 10 state floor champion, and two-time Gymnast of the Year.
»Karalyn Key competed as a Level 10 all-around gymnast and qualified to Level 10 Nationals in Daytona after training at Midwest Elite Gymnastics Academy.
»Riley Sheppard joins as a Level 10 all-around gymnast and two-time national qualifier in 2024 and 2025.

BACK FOR MORE
» Eastern returns 14 gymnasts for the 2026 season, giving the roster one of the deepest returning cores in the MAC.
» The Eagles' returner total ranks at the top of the league alongside Kent State, which also brings back 14 athletes.
» Eastern returns more athletes than Bowling Green at 13, Ball State at 12, and Central Michigan at 11.
» Western Michigan and Northern Illinois each return eight gymnasts, placing them near the bottom of the conference in roster continuity.
» With 14 returners, Eastern enters the season with more lineup experience and competitive continuity than most MAC programs.

2025 SEASON SNAPSHOTS
»Abby Brushwood competed in all 12 meets and ranked fifth in the MAC on floor with a 9.784 season average. She posted a season-best 9.900 on floor and recorded three first-place finishes on the event. She qualified for NCAA Regionals on floor and scored as high as 9.850 against multiple Power Four opponents.
»Gwendelyn Cantu appeared in 11 meets and earned a season best 9.775 on vault at the MAC Championships. She closed the year with a 9.625 season high on bars
» Katin Childress competed in 11 meets and posted a season best 9.875 on beam against San Jose State and UC Davis. Beam remained her primary scoring event.
» Genae Daniel appeared in four meets and recorded a season best 9.825 on beam against Western Michigan.
»Sanai Evans competed in six meets and earned a season high 9.650 on bars, achieved twice in March competition.
» Priya Karle competed in 11 meets and posted a season best 9.850 on floor on three occasions. Floor remained her top-scoring event throughout the year.
»Keeley Kohler appeared in 11 meets and recorded a season high 9.850 on bars against Ball State on March 14.
»Kyrie Lowe competed in 11 meets and ranked fifth in the MAC on bars. She earned a career high 9.900 on bars and recorded four first-place finishes on the event, along with two all-around wins.
»Brianna Lucas appeared in six meets and posted a season best 9.675 on vault against Western Michigan, Wilberforce, and Ball State.
»Brooke Maycroft redshirted the 2025 season after competing on beam in 2024, where she recorded a career best 9.750.
»Jackie Patterson redshirted in 2025 after appearing in 10 meets in 2024 and earning a career high 9.875 on vault and beam.
»Elise Ritzenthaler redshirted during the 2025 season.
»Analiah Solorio competed in 11 meets as a freshman and earned five vault scores of 9.800 during the season.
»Jaelyn Stetz appeared in three meets and recorded a season best 9.720 on vault against Bowling Green on Jan. 12.

AYE, AYE CAPTAINS!
Jackie Patterson and Priya Karle will lead Eastern gymnastics as the two team captains for the 2026 season.

MINASOLA LEADS THE WAY
»Katie Minasola enters her ninth season as head coach, taking over the program in July 2017 and guiding it through eight completed seasons.
Eastern owns a 52-74-1 overall record and a 16-32 MAC mark during Minasola's tenure, highlighted by steady postseason presence and individual success.
» The Eagles captured the MAC Championship in 2021 with a 195.900 team score, earning the program's fourth league title and a team berth to NCAA Regionals.
»Eastern has produced NCAA Regional qualifiers in six of Minasola's eight full seasons, including team qualification in 2021 and multiple individual qualifiers in every postseason since 2018.
»Minasola has coached three MAC major award winners, including Raisa Boris as MAC Gymnast of the Year in 2024, Boris as MAC Senior Gymnast of the Year in 2024 and 2025, Ella Chemotti as MAC Freshman of the Year in 2022, and Caitlin Satler as MAC Specialist of the Year in 2021.
» Under her direction, Eastern has crowned four individual MAC champions, including Molly Parris on vault in 2021, Emili Dobronics on floor in 2019, and Ella Chemotti on bars in 2022 and beam in 2024.
»The program reached new scoring heights during her tenure, including top-five all-time event totals on vault, bars, beam, and floor, with multiple scores above 49.300 at the conference and regular-season levels.
» Eastern finished runner-up at the 2025 MAC Championship with a 195.525 team score, marking the program's best conference finish since the 2021 title season.
» Minasola has helped develop consistent academic and competitive balance, with multiple Academic All-MAC selections each season and long-term roster stability across the lineup.

HAPPY TO HELP
Sam Higgins enters her sixth season on staff and has overseen the beam lineup since 2022. Under her guidance, the beam squad ranked 22nd nationally in her first year, the highest event ranking in program history, while Ella Chemotti qualified for NCAA Regionals with a MAC-leading 9.875 NQS and earned First Team All-MAC honors. Higgins played a key role in the 2021 MAC Championship season and the program's NCAA Regional team appearance, while also helping produce multiple All-MAC selections and five beam scores of 9.900 or higher in a single season. She previously spent 10 years coaching at Gym America and earned her undergraduate degree from Eastern Michigan.

Lauren Volpe is in her second season as an assistant coach after joining the staff in July 2024. A former Ball State standout, she brings MAC championship and NCAA Regional experience as both a student-athlete and graduate assistant. Volpe was a multi-year team captain at Ball State, a MAC Specialist of the Week honoree, and a three-time WGCA Scholastic All-American. She is tied for the Ball State beam record at 9.925 and brings conference-tested knowledge and competitive insight to the staff.

Sophia Rios joined the staff after competing for the program and serving as a student-athlete leader. She appeared in 10 meets on vault during the 2023 season and posted a career-high 9.700, while also earning Academic All-MAC and WCGA Academic All-America honors. Rios brings first-hand program experience to the coaching staff, pairing competitive insight with an academic background in mechanical engineering and contributing to athlete development across the vault lineup.

ON THE HORIZON

Eastern continues Mid-American Conference action Sunday, Feb. 15, with a road matchup at Ball State. The meet is set for a 1 p.m. start and will stream on ESPN+.

Gymnastics vs. Central Michigan
Date	Sunday, Feb. 8 \| 1 p.m.
Venue	George Gervin GameAbove Center \| Ypsilanti, Mich.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (Coming Soon!)
Watch \| Stats	ESPN+ \| Live Stats
Follow Us On X	@EMUGym \| @EMUAthletics

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Raisa Boris

Abby Brushwood

Gwendelyn Cantu

Ella Chemotti

Katin Childress

Genae Daniel

Savanna Dunwoody

Sanai Evans

Priya Karle

Keeley Kohler

Kendall Landry

Kyrie Lowe

Brianna Lucas

Brooke Maycroft

Adysen Mazzoni

Macy Nihart

Elise Ritzenthaler

Georgie Slack

Analiah Solorio

Jaelyn Stetz

Eastern Michigan Athletics