KALAMAZOO, Mich. –  The Western Michigan gymnastics team heads to the 2018 Mid-American Conference Championships on Saturday, March 24, in hopes to take home the first title since 2013. The meet will be hosted by Central Michigan in Mount Pleasant, Mich. inside McGuirk Arena and will be streamed live on ESPN3.

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LAST TIME OUT
In its final regular season dual meet at Eastern Michigan on Friday, March 16 WMU fell to the Eagles with a final score of 195.375 – 192.725. Junior Rachael Underwood continued to lead the Broncos, winning two events on the vault (9.825) and on the floor (9.850) but took third in the all-around. Freshman Morgan Spence claimed second amongst all athletes delivering a 38.825 all-around score.  

SCOUTING REPORT
The MAC Championship is up for grabs for all seven teams participating. The difference between the top and bottom Regional Qualifying Scores in the league is less than a point and the Broncos are one of four teams in the conference that scored at least one 196 this season. Kent State leads all teams with a 195.855 team RQS while Western Michigan enters tomorrow with a 194.935.

BRONCOS AMONGST THE MAC COMPETITORS
Underwood leads the Broncos in three events as the junior sits in fourth amongst MAC gymnasts on the vault (9.830 RQS) and on the floor (9.885 RQS) and is eighth overall on the balance beam (9.820 RQS). Sophmore Amelia Mohler is ninth in the league on the uneven bars (9.830) while Spence has a 38.950 RQS all-around score, good for sixth in the MAC.
 
WMU HISTORY AT MACS
Western Michigan owns four conference championships with the last one occurring during the 2013 season under previous head coach Dave Kuzara. Current WMU head coach Penny Jernigan looks to staple her name in the record books tomorrow, earning a MAC championship title. Last year, the Broncos scored a 196.075 as a team, the second-highest score in program history and tied the program record on the beam with a 49.175 to take fourth overall as a team.  

POST SEASON INFORMATION
Regional Qualifying Scores are used to determine both team and individuals that advance to the six NCAA regional meets. The top 36 teams in the nation with the highest RQS, qualify for their regional. Western Michigan sits in 48th and 11th in the central regional. For individual qualifiers, the top-four all around gymnasts and the top two athletes from all four events are selected form each of the six regions. The Broncos will use this final meet to improve on their qualifying scores. 
 
LOOKING AHEAD
If any Broncos were to qualify, the NCAA Regional Championships are set for April 6 & 7 as the host sites are to be determined.