Women's Gymnastics | March 24

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University gymnastics team finished the 2018 Mid-American Conference Championship with a season-high 195.875 and the program's highest MAC finish as they came in second to host school Central Michigan with a 197.025, and sophomore Amanda Bartemio (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) and senior Ashley Potts (Oakwood Hills, Ill./Prairie Ridge) were named MAC Champions on vault.
 
"This is what we were hoping to do from the beginning of the year," said NIU head coach Sam Morreale. "We had a great day today with the steamroller that Central, who just had a really good day at home, but it doesn't take away from what we were able to do. We had the toughest draw, starting on our best event and ending on bars and beam. That is just a tough rotation and a testament to how hard the team worked and how bad they wanted it."
 
Bartemio and Potts each scored a 9.850 on vault to tie their career-highs and also be named to the First Team All-MAC. Potts' championship title is her second. At the MAC Championship last season, she went 9.900 on the uneven parallel bars to be named a champion.
 
"Looking back, historically, we don't fare well," said Morreale. "We do well, but we don't get a lot of Champions, and it's the second year in a row for Potts. She was a bars champ last year. It's a surprise for me on vault. Vault is not necessarily our best event, but it was a great event today. Amanda being a sophomore has just been building all year long to get to do this. She's been kind of sneaky and quiet, but she's one that we will rely on heavily in the future.
 
"With Potts, the reason she is able to do the things that she does is because of her work ethic, her talent level and just her getting it. She also is a super leader."  
 
The pair were joined on the podium by junior Anna Martucci (Clarkston, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes) for a second-place finish on floor with a 9.875 and senior Katherine Prentice (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) as an all-around competitor, scoring her career high at 39.300 and were named to the Second Team All-MAC.
 
Martucci was also named the MAC Specialist of the Year after a remarkable season, scoring a 9.900 or better in eight meets this season as well as eight first-place finishes and two second-place finishes, after today.
 
Martucci's closing routine for the Huskies on floor added to the team score of 49.050 on their first event. Prentice and Bartemio both hit to earn a pair of 9.825 scores, while Potts added a 9.800 and Paige Nicholas (Cleveland, Ohio/Lutheran West) closed out the event score with a 9.725.
 
"We started on floor, and as a coach, you're a little worried being in that first flight and watching your gymnast do a really good routine and get a good score but not quite what you expected, you wonder if it will hold. It was really great to see. Her getting Specialist of the Year was almost a no-brainer based on her eight scores over 9.900.
 
The Huskies shined bright on vault as they tied the season-high team with another score of 49.050. Along with Potts and Bartemio, Prentice was able to tie her career high of 9.825 to tie for fifth and ear the third highest score on the event for the afternoon. Sophomore Cinny Lamberti (Grayslake, Ill./Grayslake) and freshman Gabby Welch (Greenbrier, Tenn./Aaron Academy [Home School]) rounded out the team score with a 9.800 and 9.725, respectively.
 
The bars squad followed up, scoring a 48.975 with Potts anchoring the event with a 9.850. Junior Emily Basara (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) recorded the routine of her career, setting her personal-best at 9.825. Bartemio, once again, was able to score for NIU with a 9.800, and the final three Huskies hit scores of 9.750, including senior Aubrie Purtell (Huntley, Ill./Huntley), for which it was a career-high.
 
In an unlucky draw, the Huskies were placed on one of their toughest events last, the balance beam. NIU put up a 48.800 to round out its score. Prentice anchored with the perfect score to bump Bowling Green out of the second-place position and into third with a team score of 195.850. Allison Richardson (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) and Potts tied with two 9.775 scores. Freshman Mia Lord (McCordsville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) earned a 9.725 and senior Andie Van Voorhis (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard) earned a 9.625.
 
"When your team has never placed higher than third and not being able to even do that in almost ten years, that's pretty cool," said Morreale. "I am super proud of this team. I wish we had another meet, but I am not unhappy at all of what we did today."
 
A few of the Huskies are still in the running to compete in the NCAA South Central Regional on April 7. Fans wanting to follow the Huskies most recent news and accomplishments can follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook or by checking NIUHuskies.com.


 
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