KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan gymnastics team held its annual end of the year banquet at the Bernhard Center to celebrate the 2018 season on Sunday afternoon. Below are the highlights of the season and the awards earned for the student-athlete's performances during the year.

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2018 Team Highlights

• Twelve team school records & 12 individual school records
• Second highest team score in program history against Ball State: 196.075
• One of four teams in the MAC to score at least one 196 team score during the season
• One MAC individual event champion
• One MAC Freshman of the Year
• Set the highest all-around individual score in program history: 39.350
• Two tied all-time individual record on bars with a 9.925
• First ever top-three finisher in an event during the NCAA Regionals
• Eight Academic All-MAC selections

 
2018 Season Letter Winners Recognition
Competed in a minimum of 50% of all competitions this season
Kelsey Hood                       4^th
Jessica Juncaj                    4^th
Rachel Binkley                    3^rd
Katie Jennings                    3^rd
Rachael Underwood           3^rd
Taylor Buis                          2^nd
Stacie Harrison                   1^st
Kira Hoy                              1^st
Amelia Mohler                     1^st
Sarah Shirley                      1^st
Morgan Spence                  1^st  
 
MAC Weekly Awards
The MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week award is presented to a MAC male and/or female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during that week's competition. The winners are selected by a representative of the MAC's Faculty Athletics Representatives.
 
Junior Rachael Underwood received the honor the week running through Jan. 15 – Jan. 22 following an outstanding performance at Central Michigan.
 
Each MAC school nominates a student-athlete for either MAC Gymnast or Specialist of the Week. Mohler garnered the specialist honor on two separate occasions while Hoy received the specialist award for her performance at CMU.
 
All-MAC Academic Team Selections
Sophomores, juniors and seniors who have a min. 3.20 GPA and competed in at least 50 percent of the meets.
 
Rachel Binkley, Junior, 3.86, Dietetics
Taylor Buis, Sophomore, 3.78, Sports Management
Kelsey Hood, Senior, 3.32, Computer Information Systems
Kira Hoy, Senior, 3.83, Public Relations
Katie Jennings, Junior, 3.55, Biomedical Sciences
Jessica Juncaj, Senior, 3.55, Integrated Supply Management
Amelia Mohler, Sophomore, 3.82, Pre-Psychology
Rachael Underwood, Junior, 3.97, Occupational Therapy
 
WMU Scholar-Athlete of the Year
This year there were six student-athletes who achieved 4.0 GPAs in the fall semester. They will share this award as co-winners for the 2018 season.
 
Taylor Buis
Kira Hoy
Amelia Mohler
Alexis Olivier
Sarah Shirley
Morgan Spence
 
Vault MVP – Rachael Underwood

• 117.45 regular season points
• Competed vault in all 12 regular season meets
• Won two regular season titles
• Qualified as the No. 1 individual seed on vault with an RQS of 9.83
• Stuck her final vault of the season at NCAA Regionals

 
Uneven Bars MVP – Stacie Harrison

• Contributed the most points to the team on bars this season, 115.70
• Competed bars in all 12 meets
• Won three bars titles during the regular season
• Tied the all-time school record on bars with a 9.925 at the MAC Championships
• First WMU Gymnast to win the MAC bar title straight out since 2003
• 9.925 also the highest score ever at a MAC Championships for a Bronco
• Also scored a 39.10-0 in the AA at the championships for fifth

 
Balance Beam MVP – Jessica Juncaj

• Remarkably, this gymnast hit 100% of her beam routines, 12 out of 12 meets this season
• She contributed 117.45 points on the event
• Finished in the top three on balance beam six times this year
• She scored the second highest program score on beam with a 9.925, including a perfect 10.0 from one of the judges

 
Floor Exercise MVP – Rachael Underwood

• 117.45 points during regular season
• Won SIX regular season floor titles
• Set a personal record of 9.925 on March 10th and then broke her own personal record with an impressive 9.950 on March 13th. 9.95 score is the second highest in program history
• Qualified as the number one individual seed on floor with an amazing RQS of 9.885
• Also, highest finish ever of a WMU gymnast at floor post season championships with a 9.90 2nd place behind UCLA's Kaitlin Onashi

 
WMU Freshman of the Year – Morgan Spence
Selected by the coaching staff

• Competed AA in all 12 consecutive meets this season
• Contributed 463.9 points in her rookie season
• Led WMU off on beam in all twelve meets as a freshman
• Broke a 39.00 AA four times
• Qualified to NCAA regionals as AA (RQS 38.95)
• Hit 4 out of 4 in her first appearance at regionals for a 38.95 AA

 
WMU Gymnast of the Year – Kira Hoy
Selected by the coaching staff

• This gymnast really came into her own this year. She had a positive attitude and a laser focus in the gym every day. She refused to let anything get between her and fulfilling her potential this season. She's been a quiet leader in and out of the gym and her efforts did not go unnoticed.
• She competed in all twelve meets this year
• She won individual balance beam titles twice this year. Once with a 9.875 and once with a career-high 9.900, which tied for third best in program history.
• She spearheaded our community service efforts organizing the team to volunteer at Bronson's Children's Hospital, Juvenile Diabetes Walk, Race for the Cure and Team Impact.