KALAMAZOO, Mich. ­– Junior Rachael Underwood and freshman Morgan Spence have earned the right to represent the Western Michigan gymnastics team at the 2018 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Central Regional. The meet will be held on Saturday, April 7 in Columbus, Ohio with six teams and other qualified individuals inside St. John Arena and hosted by Ohio State.

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For her third consecutive year, Underwood qualified for postseason except this time as an individual specialist. Her regional qualifying score on vault (9.830) and floor (9.885) pushed her to an at-large spot in both events and is tied for fourth and fifth in the Mid-American Conference in both events.

Prior to the MAC Championships Underwood, was a huge impact performer for the Broncs during the 2018 campaign. She posted the highest scores of the season for WMU on vault (9.850) and floor (9.950) all while taking the third highest score on the balance beam (9.875). She proved to be a consistent competitor, appearing in at least three events in every single meet of the season all while boasting six all-around scores.

Underwood claimed the all-around title three times during the season, including a career-high and a new school record of 39.350 against Ball State. Underwood took first on the vault (9.850), sixth on the bars (9.775), fifth on beam (9.800) and won the floor exercise with a 9.925. Just two days later the junior recorded an impressive 9.950 on the floor, as the score is the second highest in program history. With the help of the floor routine, Underwood claimed the all-around for her second consecutive meet against Illinois-Chicago on March 13.

Underwood became the first of three Bronco gymnasts to receive a MAC weekly honor this season after being named MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week running through Jan. 15 – Jan. 22 helping WMU deliver arguably one of their best meets in program history that early in the season with a 195.425 at Central Michigan on Jan. 20. Underwood took second overall on vault (9.825), third on floor (9.800) and tied a personal best on the beam (9.875).

In her first season with the Brown & Gold, Spence became the first gymnast in program history to be crowned MAC Freshman of the Year since Kelsey Hood in 2015 and will compete as an all-around during this year's regionals.  She was the only gymnast to participate in every event in all 12 meets this year, including the MAC Championships, and started the year off with three-straight four-for-four outings. She also the only freshman to compete all-around in every meet this season. Spence averages a 38.658 all-around score with a RQS of 38.950, good for eighth overall in the conference. She posted a career-best 39.075 at home against Bowling Green as the Broncos boasted their fifth highest score in program history with a 195.675.

The top two teams and the top two all-around competitors (who are not on an advancing team) from each regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships in St. Louis, Mo., April 20-21, hosted by the University of Missouri, Columbia and the St. Louis Sports Commission.
 
In addition, the event winners at each regional site will advance to the national championships (in that event only) if they are not part of a qualifying team or an all-around qualifier.
 
For tickets and further information regarding the National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships, log on to www.NCAA.com/wgymnastics.