Women's Gymnastics | February 27

DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University gymnastics team closed its home schedule with a team score of 49.050 on floor, the highest team score in a regular season meet since 2024. The Huskies hosted Central Michigan on Friday night, dropping the meet 195.250-192.800.

NIU posted its best floor routine of the season, with all six gymnasts scoring a 9.725 or higher, led by freshman Makenna Brooks (Kokomo, Ind. / Eastern) with a 9.875 to take first place. Sophomore Drake White (Indianapolis, Ind. / Bishop Chatard) tied for second with a 9.825.

Brooks also paced the Huskies on beam, earning a score of 9.750 and finishing third. Junior Dawsyn Sallee (Versailles, Ky. / Woodford County High) placed on vault for the sixth time this season, taking third place with a 9.800.

Rotation One
Sophomore Audrey Brenner (Fond du Lac, Wis. / Fond du Lac) continued to stay consistent on vault this season with a 9.750, her sixth 9.700 or higher in the last seven meets.

The Huskies had a team score of 48.300 on vault, led by Sallee who secured her fourth 9.800 or higher this year. The junior has finished top three on vault in all but three meets in 2026.

Rotation Two
Freshman Avery Riiff (Frankfort, Ill. / Lincoln Way East) opened the second rotation with a 9.700 on bars, the highest score from the Huskies on the night. Brooks added a 9.675 while sophomore Maria King (Nashville, Tenn. / Currey Ingram Academy) earned a 9.650.

Rotation Three
Junior Isabella Ross (Cary, N.C. / Green Level) posted a 9.700 on beam and now has a 9.700 or higher in back-to-back meets. Brooks followed Ross with her 9.750 to take third.

Later down the lineup, freshman Samantha Bartlett (Lowell, Mas. / Lowell) secured a 9.675 in her second official appearance this season. Junior Mikayla Brown (Suwanee, Ga. / Peachtree Ridge) anchored with a 9.725.

Rotation Four
The Huskies closed the night with a bang, starting with Sallee earning a 9.725 from the leadoff on floor. Seniors Jocelyn Harbeck (Frankfort, Ill. / Lincoln-Way East) and Samantha Nickle (Yorktown, Va. / York) each recorded a 9.775.

White's 9.825 tied a career-high while Brown tied a season-high with a 9.800. Brooks capped the night with a 9.875, setting a new career mark and tying Nickle for the highest score on floor on NIU this season.