Gymnastics Is Back; Competes At No. 2 Florida Friday

MUNCIE, Ind. - - The Ball State gymnastics program opens the 2023 season Friday when it visits Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center for a 6:45 p.m. quad meet hosted by preseason No. 2 Florida.

Along with the Cardinals and host Gators, Lindenwood and West Virginia are set to compete in the four-team showdown which will be broadcast live on the SEC Network+.

Here is how you can follow the action:
Live Results | SEC Network+ Live Video | Tickets

Ball State enters Friday's meet coming off one of its most memorable seasons in program history, as the Cardinals tallied three of the four best meet scores in the BSU record books. Highlighting the list was a program record mark of 196.325 set in a dual win over Eastern Michigan on Feb. 20.

It was the first time a BSU squad broke the 196.000-point mark as a team and included the second-best floor score in program history at 49.400.

The 2022 season also saw the Cardinals:
- Break the team record on beam with a 49.150 versus Central Michigan and Illinois State (Jan. 30) … and later tie the mark at the MAC Championships (March 19).

- Earn the second-best team score in program history on vault with a 49.150 in the Jan. 30 tri-meet.

- Send Suki Pfister to the NCAA Norman Regional where she tied for 11th overall on vault with a score of 9.850.

- Have Suki Pfister become just the fifth gymnast in program history to register a score of 9.950-or-higher with a best vault in the Mid-American Conference last season at 9.950 at Central Michigan (March 11) … She finished the season with four vaults of 9.900-or-better.

- Have Hannah Ruthberg turn both in the third-best (39.325 at West Virginia on March 6) and fifth-best (39.275 at Western Michigan on Jan. 16) all-around scores in program history.

- Have Grace Sumner (vs. CMU and ISU) and Taylor Waldo (at West Virginia on March 6) turn in the second-best individual beam routines in program history at 9.900.

- Have Megan Teter turn in floor routines of 9.925 versus EMU (Feb. 20) and 9.900 at the MAC Championships.

- Have Hannah Ruthberg (at West Virginia) and Victoria Henry (at MAC Championships) register floor routines of 9.900.

- Earn four runner-up finishes at the MAC Championships, with Victoria Henry and Suki Pfister tying for second on vault (9.850) and Henry and Megan Teter tying for second on floor (9.900).

- Claim 24 total event victories last season, including all four individual events and the all-around at West Virginia.

- Chalk up 104 routines of 9.800-or-better, led by 16 from Ruthberg and 11 by Henry … Of those 104 routines, 31 came on vault, 27 came on floor, 26 came on beam, and 20 came on bars.

- Hit routines of 9.900-or-better 10 times … Suki Pfister had four of those scores, including Ball State's best routine of the season with a 9.950 on vault at Central Michigan … BSU's student-athletes also registered a pair of 9.925 routines and seven 9.900 routines.

About the 2023 Squad:
- The Cardinals return seven of the team's top 10 scorers from last season, including First Team All-MAC selection and MAC Specialist of the Year Suki Pfister … Pfister led the Cardinals on vault with 127.75 points … Hannah Ruthberg is BSU's top returning scorer, ranking second on the squad with 416.350 points last season … Megan Teter led the squad on both bars (127.225) and floor (126.425), while Taylor Waldo paved the way on beam (126.375).

- Lauren Volpe returns for her fifth season, taking advantage of her COVID year of eligibility, after scoring 125.725 points on beam.

- Grace Evans, Megan Teter, and Taylor Waldo are all returning for their true senior seasons … Evans was Ball State's second-highest bars performer last season with 114.200 points.

- Ball State's three-member junior class includes Victoria Henry, Suki Pfister, and Hannah Ruthberg … Henry was a staple in the lineup in both vault (117.250 points) and bars (96.625) last season.

- Erica Cooper and Grace Sumner enter their sophomore season looking to build off strong freshman campaigns … Cooper competed on floor in the last nine meets, while Sumner ranked second on the squad on beam (126.200 points) and fifth on bars (86.875 points).

- In addition to redshirt freshman Cai Afalla, the Cardinals welcome eight true freshman in Mary Rose Bellan, Dilynn Blair, Kenna Geibel, Aislyn LaBadie, Zoe Middleton, Alauna Simms, Karah Vargo, and Leah White.

Gymnastics Is Back; Competes At No. 2 Florida Friday

Players Mentioned

Cai Afalla

Mary Rose Bellan

Dilynn Blair

Erica Cooper

Grace Evans

Kenna Geibel

Victoria Henry

Aislyn LaBadie

Zoe Middleton

Suki Pfister

Hannah Ruthberg

Alauna Simms

Grace Sumner

Megan Teter

Karah Vargo

Lauren Volpe

Taylor Waldo

Leah White

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