Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, December 10
Ann Arbor, Mich.
4 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Michigan (Ex.)
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Gymnastics Set to Open Season with Exhibition at Michigan
12/8/2016 11:02:00 AM | Gymnastics
The Eagles will make the short trek west for the exhibition in Ann Arbor
Meet Information
Live Stream
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Following a productive summer and fall of training, the Eastern Michigan University women's gymnastics team will kick off the 2016-17 season with an exhibition against Michigan, Saturday, Dec. 10, at 4 p.m. The meet marks the first for Head Coach Sarah Brown, who previously served as a volunteer assistant at Michigan.
With the regular season slated to begin at home against Kentucky, Jan. 6, the meet in Ann Arbor will allow the Eagles to perform in front of a large crowd and simulate a true meet-like atmosphere. Last season, the Green and White emerged victorious over the Maize and Blue, 194.050 - 183.350, with the discrepency coming from U-M scratching one of their floor competitors.
The meet will feature celebrity judges, including Sam Webb and Ira Weintraub, hosts of The Michigan Insider on 1050 WTKA, Joey Namou of Mojo in the Morning on 95.5, and Marcus Ray, a former U-M football player and current studio analyst for the Big Ten Network. Admission to the exhibition is free to all. A live stream is available, and can be found by clicking here.
With the exhibition just a few days away and the regular season slated to begin in less than a month, it is time to preview the team.
Key Returners: As the Green and White lost just one senior to graduation in the form of Kimberly Ebeyer, and one gymnast to transfer in Rachel Slocum, the Eagles return a very strong team. Junior Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J. - Holmdel) will once again make a big impact on multiple events, especially on vault and bars. Fellow junior Catie Conrad (Brighton, Mich. - Brighton) will also contribute on all four, as she competed all-around 12 times last year. Valentin was named First Team All-MAC last year, while Conrad earned All-MAC Second Team honors. The pair also both brought home 2016 MAC All-Tournament Team honors.
Additionally, the Eagles bring back a solid group of seniors, including Natalie Gervais (Winnipeg, Manitoba - Sturgeon Heights), Lacey Rubin (Plainview, N.Y. - Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy), and Sydney McEachern (Winnipeg, Manitoba - Kelvin). Gervais and Rubin look to once again be heavy contributors on bars and beam, while McEachern will contribute on vault, bars, and floor. Following the MAC Championships, Gervais was also named to the 2016 MAC All-Tournament Team.
New Faces in the Gym: The Eagles welcome three new faces to the 2017 squad: freshmen Emili Dobronics (Orland Park, Ill. - Carl Sandburg), Hollie Minichiello (Orlando, Fla. - East River), and Allison Smith (Telford, Pa. - Souderton).
Vault: Although the team lost Ebeyer and Slocum, the squad retains a number of talented vaulters. Valentin looks to be the leader, as she scored a 9.9 last season, in addition to seven scores of 9.8 or better. Conrad was fairly consistent as well, tallying a 9.8 or better on five occasions. Schwartz held onto a spot in the lineup throughout the year, posting a season-high 9.8, while McEachern was also featured on a normal basis. As a freshman, Gresham returned from injury and broke into the lineup towards the end of the season, scoring a 9.75 at the MAC Championships. Sophomore Megan Hultgren (Rockford, Ill. - Rockford Lutheran), Dobronics, and Smith may also earn spots as they gain more experience on the event.
Bars: Valentin, last year's MAC Champion on bars, will once again pace the squad on the event this year. The junior had a fantastic 2016 season, scoring a 9.925 once, and a 9.9 three times, scoring below a 9.8 just twice. Conrad posted ten scores of 9.8 or better, including a 9.9, throughout her sophomore season. Both Gervais and Rubin scored 9.9's as well, with Rubin nabbing eight scores of 9.825 or better.
Beam: Last season's beam squad was arguably the best in program history, and this season looks to be no different, as just one contributor will not return. Gervais scored a whopping 9.925 last season, in addition to a 9.9 and a total of six scores of 9.8 or better. Conrad was also capable of putting up big scores, as she earned three 9.875's throughout the year. Rubin had a big impact as well, scoring a 9.9 and 10 scores of 9.8 or better, while Valentin posted a 9.875 on one occasion and a 9.85 at three seperate meets. Hultgren also stepped in as a freshman and was very consistent throughout the year, scoring a career-best 9.85. Junior Megan Marino (Girard, Ohio - Howland), Gresham, and Dobronics may be a factor on beam as well.
Floor: Like vault, both Ebeyer and Slocum were solid contributors on floor, but the team returns plenty of talent on the event. McEachern posted a 9.9 last season at the MAC Championships to finish third, in addition to scoring a 9.8 or better eight times throughout the year. Conrad also developed on the event as the season progressed, scoring a 9.8 or better on five occasions. As a freshman, Gresham came back from injury and had an impact on the floor lineup, nabbing a 9.85 at the conference championships. Senior Kelsie Brooks (Winston, Ga. - Alexander), junior Kirsten Gendron (Birch Run, Mich. - Frankenmuth), sophomore Sydney Audet (Sylvania, Ohio - Sylvania Northview), Dobronics, and Smith all figure to also be in the mix.
For more information on this weekend's exhibition meet, including updates on parking and traffic due to construction on Stadium Blvd., please click here.
Live Stream
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Following a productive summer and fall of training, the Eastern Michigan University women's gymnastics team will kick off the 2016-17 season with an exhibition against Michigan, Saturday, Dec. 10, at 4 p.m. The meet marks the first for Head Coach Sarah Brown, who previously served as a volunteer assistant at Michigan.
With the regular season slated to begin at home against Kentucky, Jan. 6, the meet in Ann Arbor will allow the Eagles to perform in front of a large crowd and simulate a true meet-like atmosphere. Last season, the Green and White emerged victorious over the Maize and Blue, 194.050 - 183.350, with the discrepency coming from U-M scratching one of their floor competitors.
The meet will feature celebrity judges, including Sam Webb and Ira Weintraub, hosts of The Michigan Insider on 1050 WTKA, Joey Namou of Mojo in the Morning on 95.5, and Marcus Ray, a former U-M football player and current studio analyst for the Big Ten Network. Admission to the exhibition is free to all. A live stream is available, and can be found by clicking here.
With the exhibition just a few days away and the regular season slated to begin in less than a month, it is time to preview the team.
Key Returners: As the Green and White lost just one senior to graduation in the form of Kimberly Ebeyer, and one gymnast to transfer in Rachel Slocum, the Eagles return a very strong team. Junior Kendall Valentin (Holmdel, N.J. - Holmdel) will once again make a big impact on multiple events, especially on vault and bars. Fellow junior Catie Conrad (Brighton, Mich. - Brighton) will also contribute on all four, as she competed all-around 12 times last year. Valentin was named First Team All-MAC last year, while Conrad earned All-MAC Second Team honors. The pair also both brought home 2016 MAC All-Tournament Team honors.
Additionally, the Eagles bring back a solid group of seniors, including Natalie Gervais (Winnipeg, Manitoba - Sturgeon Heights), Lacey Rubin (Plainview, N.Y. - Plainview Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy), and Sydney McEachern (Winnipeg, Manitoba - Kelvin). Gervais and Rubin look to once again be heavy contributors on bars and beam, while McEachern will contribute on vault, bars, and floor. Following the MAC Championships, Gervais was also named to the 2016 MAC All-Tournament Team.
New Faces in the Gym: The Eagles welcome three new faces to the 2017 squad: freshmen Emili Dobronics (Orland Park, Ill. - Carl Sandburg), Hollie Minichiello (Orlando, Fla. - East River), and Allison Smith (Telford, Pa. - Souderton).
Vault: Although the team lost Ebeyer and Slocum, the squad retains a number of talented vaulters. Valentin looks to be the leader, as she scored a 9.9 last season, in addition to seven scores of 9.8 or better. Conrad was fairly consistent as well, tallying a 9.8 or better on five occasions. Schwartz held onto a spot in the lineup throughout the year, posting a season-high 9.8, while McEachern was also featured on a normal basis. As a freshman, Gresham returned from injury and broke into the lineup towards the end of the season, scoring a 9.75 at the MAC Championships. Sophomore Megan Hultgren (Rockford, Ill. - Rockford Lutheran), Dobronics, and Smith may also earn spots as they gain more experience on the event.
Bars: Valentin, last year's MAC Champion on bars, will once again pace the squad on the event this year. The junior had a fantastic 2016 season, scoring a 9.925 once, and a 9.9 three times, scoring below a 9.8 just twice. Conrad posted ten scores of 9.8 or better, including a 9.9, throughout her sophomore season. Both Gervais and Rubin scored 9.9's as well, with Rubin nabbing eight scores of 9.825 or better.
Beam: Last season's beam squad was arguably the best in program history, and this season looks to be no different, as just one contributor will not return. Gervais scored a whopping 9.925 last season, in addition to a 9.9 and a total of six scores of 9.8 or better. Conrad was also capable of putting up big scores, as she earned three 9.875's throughout the year. Rubin had a big impact as well, scoring a 9.9 and 10 scores of 9.8 or better, while Valentin posted a 9.875 on one occasion and a 9.85 at three seperate meets. Hultgren also stepped in as a freshman and was very consistent throughout the year, scoring a career-best 9.85. Junior Megan Marino (Girard, Ohio - Howland), Gresham, and Dobronics may be a factor on beam as well.
Floor: Like vault, both Ebeyer and Slocum were solid contributors on floor, but the team returns plenty of talent on the event. McEachern posted a 9.9 last season at the MAC Championships to finish third, in addition to scoring a 9.8 or better eight times throughout the year. Conrad also developed on the event as the season progressed, scoring a 9.8 or better on five occasions. As a freshman, Gresham came back from injury and had an impact on the floor lineup, nabbing a 9.85 at the conference championships. Senior Kelsie Brooks (Winston, Ga. - Alexander), junior Kirsten Gendron (Birch Run, Mich. - Frankenmuth), sophomore Sydney Audet (Sylvania, Ohio - Sylvania Northview), Dobronics, and Smith all figure to also be in the mix.
For more information on this weekend's exhibition meet, including updates on parking and traffic due to construction on Stadium Blvd., please click here.
Players Mentioned
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
V, BB, FX
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ Gymnastics
V,BB,FX
/ Gymnastics
AA
/ GymnasticsCinematic Highlights: MAC Gymnastics Championships
Sunday, March 23
Cinematic Highlights: Gymnastics vs WMU + Wilberforce
Friday, February 28
Cinematic Highlights: Gymnastics vs. Kent State
Tuesday, January 28
Cinematics Highlights: Gymnastics Golden Girls Classic
Saturday, January 18