CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Western Michigan gymnastics team was tabbed to finish fifth in the Mid-American Conference according to the league's preseason poll voted on by the conference's head coaches. The Broncos also earned a first place vote, joining six other schools with at least one first place vote.
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"Coach Scharns and I believe this team will surprise a lot of people in the gymnastics community," commented WMU head coach
Penny Jernigan. "Our returners are doing the best gymnastics of their lives and our underclassmen are bringing talent and depth that we haven't seen before. This group takes immense pride in representing Western Michigan and they're ready for a breakout season."
Central Michigan was selected to be the 2018 MAC Champions while Kent State grabbed the number two spot followed by Bowling Green and Northern Illinois. Behind the Broncos were the back-to-back MAC Champions Eastern Michigan and Ball State.
Last season, the Broncos owned a Regional Qualifying score of 195.405, the highest in school history. WMU scored a team score of 196.075 at the Mid-American Conference Championships, the second-highest score in program history, while tying the program record on beam with 49.175.
Western Michigan returns 10 gymnasts from last year's squad including junior
Rachael Underwood who qualified for the NCAA Regionals in Champaign, Ill. last season. The Academic All-MAC squad returners include
Rachel Binkley,
Kelsey Hood,
Katie Jennings and
Jessica Juncaj while the other Bronco returners are
Taylor Buis,
Kendall Carlson,
Kira Hoy,
Amelia Mohler and
Jackie Yates.
The Broncos welcome six freshmen to the team this year in
Alliah Harrison,
Stacie Harrison,
Dominique Militello,
Alexis Olivier,
Sarah Shirley and
Morgan Spence.
The team begins the season at home less than a month away, hosting Illinois-Chicago on Sunday, Jan. 14.
2018 Gymnastics Preseason Poll
- Central Michigan (2)
- Kent State
- Bowling Green (1)
- Northern Illinois (1)
- Western Michigan (1)
- Eastern Michigan (1)
- Ball State (1)
