Women's Gymnastics | April 7

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Northern Illinois University gymnastics ended its historic season at the
NCAA South Central Regionals, on Saturday. The Huskies took three to the competition to compete alongside Alabama, Georgia, and Illinois.
 
The Huskie trio included senior all-around competitors Ashley Potts (Oakwood Hills, Ill./Prairie Ridge) and Katherine Prentice (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli) as well as junior floor specialist Anna Martucci (Clarkston, Mich./Our Lady of the Lakes).
 
"I thought we had a great day," said NIU head coach Sam Morreale. "It, obviously, not what we wanted, but it's hard to come here unattached. You don't get that energy from your team. It's hard to get into your normal rhythm. I thought they did as well as expected with the exception of the mishaps on bars. From a coaching standpoint, I feel like they gave me everything they had today."
 
Martucci finished on floor tied for 14^th with the fifth-highest score on the event, 9.800. The score marked her 11th score of 9.800 or higher this season.
 
The season has shown Huskie fans just how passionate Martucci is when it comes to tumbling across the floor. Her third season on the team was decorated with five Mid-American Conference Specialist of the Week titles, the MAC Specialist of the Year, First Team All-MAC during the regular season, Second Team All-MAC at the conference championship and recorded the highest individual event score in over two decades, and the Huskies are looking forward to having her back next season.
 
"Seeing the competition, here, [Martucci] already told me that she knows that we belong," said Morreale. "Anna has been a class-act on  floor  all year. Her routine was better than the score she got, in my opinion. She's just going to be a little hungrier. She made it as an alternate as a freshman, this year she competed, next year, she's going to want to bring the team and if not, I know she has the goal to get back here, again.
 
Prentice was also unfazed on the big stage as she rotated to her final event, balance beam, for the last time as a Huskie. She earned a 9.825 to tie the highest score on the event in a regional competition for the Huskies. Prior, Prentice had begun the day on  floor  with a 9.775, transitioned into  vault  with a 9.625, and rounded out the day with an uncharacteristic low of 8.500 on uneven parallel bars.
 
Potts saw a similar fate as Prentice. She, too, began the day on floor earning a 9.775. In her second event, vault, Potts hit another 9.775. On the uneven bars,  Potts,  also earned an uncharacteristic low score with a 9.350 and finished the day on beam with a 9.750.
 
Potts' and Prentice's last season proved to be their best. The pair, arguably,  have  set the tone for NIU gymnastics' future. Prentice marked her name in the all-time records four times this season, once on bars, twice on beam and once as an all-arounder, and she was named to the Second Team All-MAC at the conference championship after tying for second in the all-around competition.
 
In her final season, Potts was named to the Second Team All-MAC in both the regular season and conference championship, MAC Gymnast of the Week three times and etched her name in the all-time records eight times, three times on bars, once on beam, once on  floor  and three times as an all-arounder.
 
"The great thing about these seniors is what they've turned this program into what we have become, and we did that on their backs," said Morreale. "It's bittersweet. You don't want to see them leave, but it's just part of the business. I can't  over-thank  the seniors enough. Andie [Van Voorhis (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard)] and Aubrie [Purtell (Huntley, Ill./Huntley)], as well as Kat and Potts, have helped develop this program into what it is."
 
With another historic season in the books, the Huskies are looking forward to spending the time they have left with the four seniors and start preparing for the 2019 season.
 
-NIU-
 
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