Women's Gymnastics | March 30

DeKALB, Ill.  – Northern Illinois University gymnasts Natalie Hamp, Alyssa Al-Ashari and Emmalise Nock put their talents on display at the next level Friday when they compete as individuals at the NCAA Denver Regional at the University of Denver's Magness Arena.
 
The meet gets underway at 3 p.m. (CT) and can be viewed on ESPN+. 
 
Al-Ashari, the junior who qualified for NCAA Regionals on both uneven parallel bars and balance beam, will be first up for the Huskies as she will be the final gymnast on bars in the first rotation.  She will also compete in the second rotation as the final gymnast on balance beam. The third rotation of the meet features Hamp, the Huskie senior who is making her third consecutive NCAA Regional appearance on bars, and sophomore Emmalise Nock, in her NCAA debut, on floor exercise. Hamp is rotating with Oregon State, while Al-Ashari and Nock are with Georgia.
 
Hamp is just the fourth NIU gymnast all-time, and the first since Holly Reichard (2008, '09, '11) to qualify for the NCAA Regionals at least three times.  She scored a 9.900 on bars at the Salt Lake City Regional in 2021 and recorded a 9.875 in Seattle in 2022, the top two scores by a Huskie on bars in regional competition. The two-time MAC Champion and three-time All-MAC selection said she is happy to be closing out her career at the meet, especially alongside teammates who have not been there before.  
 
"Regionals is so much fun, the energy is insane, it's so loud, so many people, so many talented gymnasts," Hamp said. "It's awesome to look around and see who you're in the same room with and to know that I'm on the same level. I feel really comfortable going into it this year, I know what it's like. I'm glad to be bringing new people with me, and to show them the ropes. I'm excited to go out there, have fun, do my best and show them who I am."  
 
Al-Ashari, a second team All-MAC choice, becomes the first gymnast in NIU history to qualify for NCAA Regionals as an individual on both bars and balance beam in the same year. The junior posted the highest scores of the season by a Huskie on both events with marks of 9.925 and had identical National Qualifying Scores of 9.880.
 
"I'm happy to be doing both events because it's what I've done all year, so my training and routine [for this meet] have been what I'm used to," Al-Ashari said. "It's super-exciting to know that all my hard work has paid off. I think it will be a cool experience and I just want to do what I've been doing all year. I've heard that there are a lot of fans that truly love gymnastics, so they will cheer when you're out there. I would love to show the best routines I have done, go out there, have fun and hit."
 
Nock's consistency on floor exercise, especially in the last two months of the season, put her into NCAAs for the first time. The sophomore from Rosemount, Minnesota posted the highest score of the season for the Huskies on any event with a 9.950 on February 4, becoming just the fourth Huskie all-time to reach that score on floor. She scored a 9.900 on floor five consecutive times to end the year. Like Hamp and Al-Ashari, Nock's goals at NCAA are to perform at her best and enjoy the experience.
   
"I want to do my absolute best, I want to have fun and it's going to be so exciting I really can't wait," Nock said. "It was truly exciting to find out I was in. It was something I had imagined, but it wasn't a reality until I saw [my name on the selection show]."
 
Al-Ashari and Nock are the 16th and 17th different Huskie gymnasts to qualify for the NCAA Regionals in NIU head coach Sam Morreale's 12 seasons at the helm. NIU has had at least one individual qualify for the NCAA Regionals in each of the last nine years the championships have been held.
 
"It's an awesome accomplishment for these gymnasts and a good sign for the program," Morreale said. "These three ladies have been really good at their events all year long which is why they get this opportunity. I'm super excited for them.
 
"For Natalie, I want her to put a cherry on top of her career. Let's give it the best we got and put that best routine together. For Alyssa and Emmalise, they are great competitors; it is their first time out there, so I hope they take it all in and bring it back to the team. Let's stay healthy, let's have some fun and let's hit some routines."
 
Hamp, Al-Ashari and Nock are among just 16 specialists selected on each event who are not on a competing team to qualify for the NCAA Regionals. The top event specialist from round two at each regional (the round individuals compete) who are not on a team advancing to nationals will advance to the NCAA Championships. 
 
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