Ball State University Athletics
Gymnastics Hosting National Champion Florida Sunday
January 05, 2015 | Gymnastics
Ball State's gymnastics will host two-time defending national champion Florida Sunday at 1 p.m. in Irving Gym of the Jo Ann Gora Student Recreation and Wellness Center.
The Gators, which enter the season ranked No. 1 in the nation in the GymInfo Preseason Poll, shared the 2014 national title with Oklahoma as each team posted a score of 198.175. It is the only tie for a national team title in any sport since the NCAA began sponsoring women's championship events in the 1981-82 season.
The 2014 title was the second consecutive NCAA Championship for Florida and the Gators return four All-Americans in 2015. Bridget Sloan, a junior from Pittsboro, Ind., is among the returning All-Americans as are Kytra Hunter, Claire Boyce and Bridgette Caquatto. Sloan was the youngest member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team that won a silver medal in China.
Under the direction of head coach Joanna Saleem, Ball State returns 15 letterwinners from its 2014 team. Denasiha Christian is back for the Cardinals after winning the Mid-American Conference Championship on the floor and being named to the All-MAC Second Team.
The Cardinals will host four home meets this season -- Florida, Central Michigan (Jan. 23), Western Michigan (Feb. 13 - Think Pink and Alumni Meet) and Northern Illinois (Feb. 27 - Senior Night).
