March 25, 2006

Northern Illinois University Office of Sports Information March 25, 2006

Kalamazoo, MI -- As has been the case throughout the regular season, the Northern Illinois University women's gymnastic squad couldn't quite overcome the gaps in its line-up despite some stellar individual performances.

In Saturday's (March 25) Mid-American Conference Championships, the Huskies finished fifth among seven teams although freshman Jennifer Naughton (Smithville, MO) and senior Ashlee Williams (Liberty, MO / Senior) were among the league's best for the vault and uneven parallel bars, respectively. Naughton was one of three gymnasts to earn a 9.850 to tie for second while Williams was one of two to score 9.725 to share fourth on bars.

Western Michigan University -- tabbed for sixth place in the preseason poll thanks to a host of newcomers and a new coach -- completed a stunningly surprising season by winning its third MAC crown overall, but first since 1987 as the Broncos compiled a 193.800 to finish ahead of Central Michigan University at 193.175. Defending champion Kent State University was third at 192.700 followed in order by Eastern Michigan University (192.075), NIU's Huskies (191.225), Bowling Green State University (190.875), and Ball State University (188.225).

"Overall as a team, we had a pretty good meet, but at this time of the year you need to be near perfect. Once again we took some risks with our line-up, some of which paid off and some didn't," NIU coach Mark Sontag admitted. "We probably needed two more good scores per event to challenge the top schools, but at this time of the year, everyone's going all out. While we had some real bright spots, you need your whole line-up to have an awesome meet since just one miss can make a big difference."

Western Michigan's title run was led by Jennifer Sturgis, who finished first on vault (9.875) and balance beam (9.850) en route to winning the all-around crown with a 39.100 composite. She also included a 9.650 from the bars (good for 11th) and a 9.725 from floor exercise (tie for 19th) in order to finish ahead of teammate Cherisse Marier, whose four-event tottal was 39.050.

Kent State's Carrie Mayle earned a 9.850 on floor ex in order to keep Western Michigan from sweeping all the blue ribbons since Marier was the uneven parallel bars champ with her 9.775 performance.

For the Huskies as a squad, the vault and beam produced their top team tallies from a position standpoint. NIU was fourth on vault with a 48.525 while a 46.900 total put them in the same position for the beam.

In addition to her 9.850 that tied for second on vault, Naughton placed 20th on beam with a 9.425 while Williams' tie for fourth on bars (9.725) was accompanied by a team-best 9.775 for floor exercise, which tied her for eighth individually.

"Jennifer did a great job on vault. She has a very unique vault that's both very risky and very difficult, but this was the second meet in a row where she came through and nailed it," Sontag noted. "Ashlee's finishes were simply amazing. For her to come back from an injury and become one of the top people in the MAC on two events is something most people would not have believed possible. I just really wish she'd have had more opportunities to show what she's capable of. That floor routine was basically something she put together over four practices, just another indication of how talented she is and how much more she could have possibly done this year if not for those early injuries."

On the balance beam, Meghan Cronin (St. Charles / East) was NIU's top finisher tying for sixth with a 9.650 with teammate Amber Whitecotton (Crystal Lake / South) next for the Huskies, tied for 16th at 9.525. The Huskies' second-best score for the uneven bars came from specialist Allison Holysz (Hoffman Estates / Palatine Fremd), who tied for 18th at 9.575.

"Meghan, who also came back from an injury, has been working real hard on her series on the beam and did a great job. Once again, Amber contributed on each of her events, I thought her vault was her best of the season. She really stuck it as did Allison on bars," Sontag added. "Bethany (Plapp -- Sycamore / DeKalb) was the very first routine on bars and I don't believe her score reflects how well she performed."

Sontag also complimented the efforts of Jennifer Rice (Homewood / Homewood-Flossmoor) on floor along with Kelly Kramer (Long Lake, MN / Benilde-St. Margaret's) on beam. Although unable to shake the rust off, NIU's Leah Johnson (Glenview / Glenbrook South) returned to action less than a week after being cleared from a knee injury which wiped out would have been a stellar freshman year that began with MAC Gymnast of the Week honors following the season opener.

WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS -- Northern Illinois University at Mid-American Conference Championships / at Kalamazoo, MI / Hosted by Western Michigan University / WMU's University Arena / Saturday / March 25, 2006

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE 2006 GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS (at Kalamazoo, MI / WMU's University Arena)

Final Team Standings: 1---Western Michigan 193.800; 2---Central Michigan 193.175; 3---Kent State 192.700; 4---Eastern Michigan 192.075; 5---Northern Illinois 191.225; 6---Bowling Green State University 190.875; 7---Ball State 188.225

Vault: 1---Jennifer Sturgis (WMU) 9.875; 2--(Tie)--Jennifer Naughton (NIU) / Mattie Crawford (CMU) / Carrie Mayle (KSU), 9.850; 5--(Tie)--Sheena Smith (Central Michigan) / Courtney lesson (WMU), 9.825. Other NIU Scores: T8---Amber Whitecotton 9.750; T16---Amy Ristvedt 9.700; T26---Tiffany Anderson 9.625; T29---Kelly kramer 9.600; T34---Bethany Plapp 9.55. Team scores: WMU 58.750, CMU 48.750, EMU 48.550; NIU 48.525; KSU 48.525; BGSU 48.375; BSU 47.600.

Uneven Parallel Bars: 1---Cherisse Marier (WMU) 9.775; 2--(Tie)--Courtney Schmid (WMU) / Kristin Peters (KSU), 9.750; 4--(Tie)--Ashlee Williams (NIU) / Carrie Mayle (KSU) 9.725; 6--(Tie)--Julie Passy (CMU) / Jolene Worley (EMU) / Jennifer Charlebois (EMU) / Jill Kowalski (KSU) 9.700. Other NIU Scores: T18---Allison Holysz 9.575; T24---Tiffany Anderson 9.500; T31---Bethany Plapp 9.375; 36---Meghan Cronin 9.100; 40---Leah Johnson 8.800. Team scores: KSU 48.350; WMU 48.325; EMU 48.100; CMU 47.925; BGSU 47.425; NIU 47.275; BSU 46.150.

Balance Beam: 1---Jennifer Sturgis (WMU) 9.850; 2--Shelby Gribeck (WMU) 9.800; 3--Julie Passy (CMU) 9.725; 4--(Tie)--Cherisse Marier (WMU) / Bethany Kenel (BGSU) 9.700; 6--(Tie)--Meghan Cronin (NIU) / Mattie Crawford (CMU) 9.650. Other NIU Scores: T16---Amber Whitecotton 9.525; T20---Jennifer Naughton 9.425; T23---Kelly Kramer 9.300; T32---Jennifer Rice 9.150; 41---Amy Ristvedt 8.725. Team scores: WMU 47.875; CMU 47.675; BGSU 46.950; NIU 46.900; KSU 46.875; EMU 46.725; BSU 46.225.

Floor Exercise: 1---Carrie Mayle (KSU) 9.850; 2--(Tie)--Cherisse Marier (WMU) / Danielle Espinoza (CMU) 9.825; 4--(Tie)--Stephanie Langley (CMU) / Mattie Crawford (CMU) / Amy Cucinotta (KSU) / Laci Hendress (KSU) 9.800. NIU Scores: T8---Ashlee Williams 9.775; T19---Bethany Plapp 9.725; T25---Amber Whitecotton 9.700; T27---Jennifer Rice 9.675; T30---Amanda Johnson 9.650; 42---Jennifer Naughton 9.175. Team scores: KSU 48.950; WMU 48.850; CMU 48.825; EMU 48.700; NIU 48.525; BGSU 48.125; BSU 48.250.

All-Around: 1---Jennifer Sturgis (WMU) 39.100; 2--Cherisse Marier (WMU) 39.050; 3---Zu Vuong (EMU) 38.600; 4--Jill Kowalski (KSU) 38.575; 5---Rebecca Fuss (EMU) 38.550; 6---Carrie Mayle (KSU) 38.475.

2006 MAC Women's Gymnastics Awards (Selected by League's Coaches)

Gymnast of the Year: Cherrise Marier (Western Michigan) Senior Gymnast of the Year: Cherrise Marier (Western Michigan) Specialist of the Year: Tawna Bennett (Eastern Michigan) Freshman of the Year: Zu Vuong (Eastern Michigan) Coach of the Year: Terry Karwoski (Western Michigan)

First-Team All-MAC: Cherisse Marier (WMU), Jennifer Sturgis (WMU), Carrie Mayle (KSU), Jill Kowalski (KSU), Zu Vuong (EMU). Second-Team All-MAC: Rebecca Fuss (EMU), Jolene Worley (EMU), Jessica Neel (CMU), Kelly Watson (BSU), Erica Gilkerson (BSU).

(For further information, please contact Steve Nemeth) -30-