KALAMAZOO, Mich. – In its final tuneup before the Mid-American Conference Championships, the Western Michigan gymnastics team travels to No. 25 Iowa for a 7 p.m. Friday meet. The Broncos, who own at least a share of the MAC regular season title, will compete against their second ranked opponent of the season after a trip to No. 23 Illinois on February 14.
 
Western Michigan owns a 6-2 record in dual meets, falling only to the Fighting Illini and Central Michigan, on February 28. The Broncos have already picked up one Big Ten victory this winter, downing Michigan State 195.275-191.850 in the season opener on January 5.
 
In program history, WMU has faced Iowa four times, the first at a tri-meet with Indiana State on January 16, 1981. The series is even at 2-2, with Friday's contest being the first dual meet between the two. The programs most recently saw each other in 2017, when Western Michigan began its season with a quad meet at DeKalb, Ill., that also featured the Hawkeyes. In that contest, the Broncos totaled a 193.250 while Iowa finished with a 194.200.
 
Last weekend, Western Michigan came back for a 196.075-195.500 victory against Kent State on Senior Day. The Broncos held the lead after the first two rotations before the Golden Flashes came up with a huge floor score to go in front heading to the final rotation. WMU returned the favor on the floor with a record 49.375 to earn the win. Western Michigan's overall score of 196.075 is tied for the second best in program history, trailing only a 196.175 against Eastern Michigan on February 20, 2015.
 
Junior Stacie Harrison led the charge on the floor versus Kent State with a career-high 9.925, tied for the third-best score in program history. Freshman Ronni Binstock's career-best 9.900, tied for the seventh-highest mark in WMU history, took second in the event. All six Broncos who competed on the floor scored 9.825 or higher. 
 
Entering the ninth week of the season, Western Michigan is ranked 42nd in the country with a 195.245 national qualifying score (NQS). The team mark is fourth in the MAC, but just 0.125 away from first-place Central Michigan (195.370). Qualification for the NCAA Championship is based on a team's and an all-around competitor's six best regular-season meet scores, of which three must be away. To obtain the NQS, the high score is eliminated and the remaining five scores are averaged.
 
Individually for Western Michigan, Harrison is fifth in the league on the floor with an NQS of 9.855. Senior Amelia Mohler checks in sixth on the beam with a 9.835 and tied for fifth on the bars at 9.830.
 
The Broncos return to Kalamazoo on Saturday, March 21, for the MAC Championships. Action begins for the league title at 2 p.m. inside University Arena.
 
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