Gymnastics Tops Bowling Green In MAC Opener

MUNCIE, Ind. - - Led by another strong bars performance from freshman Ashley Szymanski, the Ball State gymnastics program opened its 2024 Mid-American Conference slate with a 196.600-193.200 victory over Bowling Green Monday evening at Worthen Arena.

"We had a solid night," head coach Joanna Saleem said about the program's home opener. "The landings weren't quite as crisp and sharp as they were the other night, so we know we can do a little bit better. However, I am pleased with how we handled our two meets over the last four days."

In front of an enthusiastic crowd on Squishmallows Night, the Cardinals (8-1; 1-0 MAC) followed its record-breaking performance at the Tennessee Collegiate Classic with another strong effort, tallying the third-best team score in the program record book.

"We had good energy," Saleem added. "It was great to be here in our home arena, with a nice crowd which was awesome. It's fun whenever you can get in front of your home crowd and have them cheering along. I love that they are getting involved in some of our cheers and we want to be able to bring them back, because that really makes it exciting for our student-athletes."

Szymanski registered the biggest mark of the meet, winning bars with a 9.975 which is the third-best individual bars score in program history. She has now led the squad on bars in three of the team's four meets, while winning the event twice.

She was not BSU's only gymnast to hit a 9.900-or-better, however, as seniors Suki Pfister and Victoria Henry tied for the event win on floor with routines of 9.900.

Pfister and sophomore Zoe Middleton would tie for the event win on vault, at 9.875, while senior Hannah Ruthberg earned the same score to win beam and give Ball State the win on all four individual events.

Middleton would also collect her second consecutive all-around victory with a score of 39.325. The effort included scores of 9.875 on both vault and floor, a 9.825 on bars and a 9.750 on beam.

Overall, the Cardinals collected 14 scores of 9.800-or-higher against the Falcons (0-3, 0-2 MAC), its second-highest total of the season trailing only the 22 set last Friday at the Farm Bureau Expo Center.

Ball State will have nearly two weeks to prepare for its next outing, a Sunday, Feb. 4, showdown with Kent State back at Worthen Arena.

"I'm excited for us to have next week off and work on some of those landing positions and just getting a little more detail work done in the gym before we come back to compete here again," Saleem concluded.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Victoria Henry

Zoe Middleton

Suki Pfister

Hannah Ruthberg

Ashley Szymanski

Players Mentioned

Victoria Henry

Zoe Middleton

Suki Pfister

Hannah Ruthberg

Ashley Szymanski