Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
NCAA Regional
Gymnasts Compete at NCAA Central Regional
April 11, 2010 | Gymnastics
Three Ball State gymnasts -- Tiffany Brodbeck, Brittney Emmons and Bibiana Rodriguez -- qualified for the NCAA Central Regional in Lexington, Ky., and competed with the region's top teams and individuals.
Six teams, five all-around competitors (who are not on a qualifying team) and one individual event specialist per event were named to each of the six regions. At the Central Regional, Alabama, Nebraska, Illinois, Kentucky, Central Michigan and Michigan State were the six teams to qualify.
Rodriguez, who placed second on the bars in the 2010 Mid-American Conference Championships, and Brodbeck, who qualified for the Regional as a freshman, competed in rotations with the Michigan State team, while Emmons went through with Illinois.
Rodriguez tallied a 9.80 on the bars, which tied for the second highest of anyone in her rotation with the Michigan State team. Rodriguez tied for 11th out of the meet's 42 competitors on the bars.
Brodbeck got her opportunity in the fourth rotation when she competed on the floor with the Spartans of Michigan State. Brodbeck managed a 9.125 for her floor routine.
Emmons began the all-around competition on the vault and managed a 9.700. After a rotation bye, Emmons moved to the bars. She scored a 9.00 on the bars heading to the the beam in the fourth rotation of the evening. Emmons suffered a fall on the beam and scored an 8.850 on her routine. After a bye in the fifth rotation, Emmons finished her evening with the floor exercise in the final rotation of the night. Emmons, who entered the meet ranked 50th in the country on the floor, tallied a 9.850 in the event. Emmons managed a 37.400 in the all-around. Her best individual finish was a tie for 13th on the floor in the 42-person field.
Emmons and Rodriguez were making their second straight appearances in the NCAA Central Regional.
Under the direction of head coach Nadalie Walsh, the 2010 Cardinals tallied six wins, the most for the school since the 2003 season. In addition, Ball State's three regional selections last season marked the first time any gymnast had advanced since the 2003 campaign. With the three qualifiers in 2010, this marks the first time in school history three Ball State gymnasts have advanced to the Regional in back-to-back seasons.
The top two teams and the top two all-around competitors (who are not on an advancing team) from each regional received an automatic berth to the national championships in Gainesville, Fla., April 22-24. In addition, the event winners at the regional championships advance to the national championships in that event if they are not a part of a qualifying team or the all-around qualifiers.
Ball State had no individuals advance to the NCAA Championships.
