Top Stories of 2019-20: Gym Cards Breaking Records
July 06, 2020 | Gymnastics
While the 2019-20 year of competition may have been cut short by COVID-19, there were still plenty of accomplishments to celebrate in Ball State Athletics.
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Through much discussion, BallStateSports.com has identified the top storylines of the year. We will unveil each of them one-by-one in the coming days.
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The stories will be revealed in chronological order, starting with the fall season.Â
Season For The Ages For Gymnastics
Leading up to the 2020 gymnastics season, Joanna Saleem thought it could be the best team in her seven seasons at Ball State. Not only did that turn out to be true, but the 2020 Gym Cards were one of the best teams ever at BSU.
The Cardinals set the school record for scoring in a meet on three different occasions. A score of 195.750 on Feb. 16 vs. Eastern Michigan set a new standard...but that record would only last two weeks.
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On March 1, the Cardinals had potentially the best performance in a road meet ever, totaling 195.800 in a win at Northern Illinois. Finally, in the last home meet of the year, the Cardinals scored 195.850 in what ended up being the last competition of the year.
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In head-to-head scoring, the Cardinals finished with an 11-4 record (the best winning percentage for BSU in 20 years) and outscored teams such as Pittsburgh and North Carolina. As the season was cut short, the conference determined Ball State finished second in the gymnastics regular season, behind only Western Michigan.Â
Claudia Goyco was named first team All-MAC and the conference's Specialist of the Year. Goyco, a junior from Georgia, tied for the MAC lead in both NQS and average on the floor. In 10 meets this season, Goyco posted 9.900 or better five times on floor and totaled 9.800 or better in every single routine. Her career-high mark of 9.925 at Northern Illinois on March 1 helped Ball State set the school record for team scoring in a meet, something the team had already done twice earlier in the season. Goyco was also named MAC Specialist of the Week four different times.
In the team's postseason banquet, Marissa Nychyk was named Gymnast of the Year and Arden Hudson was voted as the winner of the team's Most Valuable Award. Nychyk had 21 routines scoring 9.75 or better on the year while Hudson scored 9.75 or better 19 times out of 30 routines during the year.Â
Â
Through much discussion, BallStateSports.com has identified the top storylines of the year. We will unveil each of them one-by-one in the coming days.
Â
The stories will be revealed in chronological order, starting with the fall season.Â
Season For The Ages For Gymnastics
Leading up to the 2020 gymnastics season, Joanna Saleem thought it could be the best team in her seven seasons at Ball State. Not only did that turn out to be true, but the 2020 Gym Cards were one of the best teams ever at BSU.
The Cardinals set the school record for scoring in a meet on three different occasions. A score of 195.750 on Feb. 16 vs. Eastern Michigan set a new standard...but that record would only last two weeks.
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SCHOOL RECORD 195.750!#ChirpChirp pic.twitter.com/VWUdfHziH4
— BallState Gymnastics (@BallStateGYM) February 16, 2020
On March 1, the Cardinals had potentially the best performance in a road meet ever, totaling 195.800 in a win at Northern Illinois. Finally, in the last home meet of the year, the Cardinals scored 195.850 in what ended up being the last competition of the year.
Â
A NEW SCHOOL RECORD! Our 195.800 today is the highest single-meet score in our history! pic.twitter.com/hTi8QTAKNA
— BallState Gymnastics (@BallStateGYM) March 1, 2020
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This is WERQ. Another school record score today, but we're not done.#ChirpChirp pic.twitter.com/75NkXkBdN6
— BallState Gymnastics (@BallStateGYM) March 8, 2020
In head-to-head scoring, the Cardinals finished with an 11-4 record (the best winning percentage for BSU in 20 years) and outscored teams such as Pittsburgh and North Carolina. As the season was cut short, the conference determined Ball State finished second in the gymnastics regular season, behind only Western Michigan.Â
Claudia Goyco was named first team All-MAC and the conference's Specialist of the Year. Goyco, a junior from Georgia, tied for the MAC lead in both NQS and average on the floor. In 10 meets this season, Goyco posted 9.900 or better five times on floor and totaled 9.800 or better in every single routine. Her career-high mark of 9.925 at Northern Illinois on March 1 helped Ball State set the school record for team scoring in a meet, something the team had already done twice earlier in the season. Goyco was also named MAC Specialist of the Week four different times.
In the team's postseason banquet, Marissa Nychyk was named Gymnast of the Year and Arden Hudson was voted as the winner of the team's Most Valuable Award. Nychyk had 21 routines scoring 9.75 or better on the year while Hudson scored 9.75 or better 19 times out of 30 routines during the year.Â
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