KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Coming off a record setting year, the Western Michigan gymnastics team returns to the floor for the 2018 season on Sunday, Jan. 14 against Illinois-Chicago in University Arena at 1 p.m. Admission to all gymnastics meets is free.

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: @WMU_Gymnastics

"We are coming off a year that we broke a lot of records and I expect that we will break our own records this year," commented WMU head coach Penny Jernigan. "This team has enormous amounts of potential and a lot of talent and I am very pleased with how our preseason went. Everybody has been committed and has worked really hard but the season is a process so we have to remember to take each week as it comes."

Western Michigan enters the season after owning a Regional Qualifying score of 195.404, the highest in school history. The Broncos 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 a 49.175.

The Brown and Gold returns 10 gymnasts from last year's squad including four seniors in bar specialist Kendall Carlson, 2015 Co-MAC Freshman of the Year Kelsey Hood, beam and floor expert Kira Hoy and Jessica Juncaj who placed third on the beam at last year's MAC Championships.

"Look to upperclassmen early on in the season," noted Jernigan. "They bring loads of talent, experience and depth and are performing the best gymnastics that I have ever seen from them."

The junior class in Rachel Binkley, Katie Jennings, Rachael Underwood and Jackie Yates will also help with experience and depth. Underwood is coming off an incredible sophomore season, qualifying for NCAA Regionals in Champaign, Ill., with a score of 39.080, the second highest in program history. She also set a new WMU record at the MAC Championships with a 39.325 in the all-around, placing fourth after scoring a 9.800 or higher on all four events. Jennings will look to lead the Broncos this year, anchoring the floor and leading on the vault.

Rounding out the returners are sophomores Taylor Buis and Amelia Mohler. Buis competed in 10 meets last season in vault, bars and beam where she had a season-best 9.800 at Ball State on vault and a 9.775 on beam and bars. Mohler didn't compete last year due to injury, but is expected to make a big impact this season.

Bronco fans will have an opportunity to see the five freshman in action Sunday including Stacie Harrison, Dominique Militello, Alexis Olivier, Sarah Shirley and Morgan Spence. Alexis is expected to break through the line up on bars while Dominique will take on the beam. Harrison, Shirley and Spence will all compete as all-arounders eventually in the season.

"We have depth that we have never had before due to our freshman," said Jernigan. "We used to have just six people for an event but now we have nine or 10 girls that can be in the top-six every week which is great for the team."

The Broncos are off to a good start in their record breaking endeavors so far, posting a team GPA of 3.76 which is the highest under the reigns of coach Jernigan.

Following Sunday, WMU will host four other home meets including Bowling Green (1/28), Kent State (2/11), Ball State (3/10) and UIC again on March, 13 for the final home contest.