Ball State University Athletics
Gymnastics Picked MAC Regular Season & Championship Favorite
January 05, 2024 | Gymnastics
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CLEVELAND - - With the start of the 2024 season upon us, the Mid-American Conference has announced its annual preseason coaches' poll with Ball State gymnastics picked to repeat as the league's regular season champion and as the favorite to win the MAC Championships.
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The Cardinals received 32 points and four of seven first-place votes to tie with Central Michigan as the favorite to capture the league's regular season title. Ball State earned a share of its first-ever MAC regular season title last season, tying Western Michigan with 5-1 league marks.
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In addition, Ball State received five of seven votes to win the MAC Championships which will be held Saturday, March 23 inside Worthen Arena. Last season, the Cardinals placed second at the event with a score of 196.325, trailing only CMU's mark of 196.525.
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Along with the team prognostications, two Cardinals were selected to the 2024 MAC Gymnasts to Watch list. Representing Ball State on the list were sophomore Zoe Middleton and junior Grace Sumner.
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Middleton shined as a freshman last season, competing on vault, bars and floor in all 13 meets last season. Of her 39 routines, 37 of her scores counted towards Ball State's team total helping the program post nine of the top 10 team scores in program history. She earned career-best marks of 9.925 on floor, 9.825 on bars and 9.800 on vault.
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Sumner was just as impressive in her sophomore season last year, competing on both bars and beam in all 13 meets and as an individual on beam in the second round of the NCAA Norman Regional. She tied the program record on beam with a score of 9.925 at the Ball State Quad, while placing seventh at the NCAA Second Round with a mark of 9.875. She also turned in a career-best bars routine of 9.850 versus Northern Illinois.
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Ball State is coming off perhaps the most successful campaign in program history with the 2023 squad earning a team berth into the NCAA Regionals, as well as the first-ever Mid-American Conference regular season championship. The Cardinals recorded nine of the top 10 team scores in the Ball State record book last season, led by a program record score of 196.900 in the March 12 dual versus Western Michigan.
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The Cardinals open the 2024 campaign at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the UNC Quad. In addition to Ball State and host North Carolina, Rutgers and Utah State will participate in the meet.
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2024 MAC Gymnastics Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First Place Votes)
T1. Ball State – 32 points (4)
T1. Central Michigan – 32 points (2)
3. Western Michigan – 26 points
4. Kent State – 24 points (1)
T5. Bowling Green – 12 points
T5. Eastern Michigan – 12 points
7. Northern Illinois – 9 points
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MAC Tournament Champion: Ball State (5), Central Michigan (1), Western Michigan (1)
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2024 MAC Gymnasts to Watch
Zoe Middleton, Sophomore, Ball State
Grace Sumner, Junior, Ball State
Isabella Rivelli, Sophomore, Bowling Green
Kathryn Weilbacher, Junior, Bowling Green
Luciana Alvarado-Reid, Sophomore, Central Michigan
Lia Kmieciak, Junior, Central Michigan
Raisa Boris, Senior, Eastern Michigan
Jacquelyn Patterson, Freshman, Eastern Michigan
Alyssa Guns, Junior, Kent State
Heidi Schultz, Sophomore, Kent State
Alyssa Al-Ashari, Senior, Northern Illinois
Isabella Sissi, Junior, Northern Illinois
Amanda Gruber, Graduate Student, Western Michigan
Payton Murphy, Graduate Student, Western Michigan
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CLEVELAND - - With the start of the 2024 season upon us, the Mid-American Conference has announced its annual preseason coaches' poll with Ball State gymnastics picked to repeat as the league's regular season champion and as the favorite to win the MAC Championships.
Â
The Cardinals received 32 points and four of seven first-place votes to tie with Central Michigan as the favorite to capture the league's regular season title. Ball State earned a share of its first-ever MAC regular season title last season, tying Western Michigan with 5-1 league marks.
Â
In addition, Ball State received five of seven votes to win the MAC Championships which will be held Saturday, March 23 inside Worthen Arena. Last season, the Cardinals placed second at the event with a score of 196.325, trailing only CMU's mark of 196.525.
Â
Along with the team prognostications, two Cardinals were selected to the 2024 MAC Gymnasts to Watch list. Representing Ball State on the list were sophomore Zoe Middleton and junior Grace Sumner.
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Middleton shined as a freshman last season, competing on vault, bars and floor in all 13 meets last season. Of her 39 routines, 37 of her scores counted towards Ball State's team total helping the program post nine of the top 10 team scores in program history. She earned career-best marks of 9.925 on floor, 9.825 on bars and 9.800 on vault.
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Sumner was just as impressive in her sophomore season last year, competing on both bars and beam in all 13 meets and as an individual on beam in the second round of the NCAA Norman Regional. She tied the program record on beam with a score of 9.925 at the Ball State Quad, while placing seventh at the NCAA Second Round with a mark of 9.875. She also turned in a career-best bars routine of 9.850 versus Northern Illinois.
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Ball State is coming off perhaps the most successful campaign in program history with the 2023 squad earning a team berth into the NCAA Regionals, as well as the first-ever Mid-American Conference regular season championship. The Cardinals recorded nine of the top 10 team scores in the Ball State record book last season, led by a program record score of 196.900 in the March 12 dual versus Western Michigan.
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The Cardinals open the 2024 campaign at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the UNC Quad. In addition to Ball State and host North Carolina, Rutgers and Utah State will participate in the meet.
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2024 MAC Gymnastics Preseason Coaches' Poll
(First Place Votes)
T1. Ball State – 32 points (4)
T1. Central Michigan – 32 points (2)
3. Western Michigan – 26 points
4. Kent State – 24 points (1)
T5. Bowling Green – 12 points
T5. Eastern Michigan – 12 points
7. Northern Illinois – 9 points
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MAC Tournament Champion: Ball State (5), Central Michigan (1), Western Michigan (1)
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2024 MAC Gymnasts to Watch
Zoe Middleton, Sophomore, Ball State
Grace Sumner, Junior, Ball State
Isabella Rivelli, Sophomore, Bowling Green
Kathryn Weilbacher, Junior, Bowling Green
Luciana Alvarado-Reid, Sophomore, Central Michigan
Lia Kmieciak, Junior, Central Michigan
Raisa Boris, Senior, Eastern Michigan
Jacquelyn Patterson, Freshman, Eastern Michigan
Alyssa Guns, Junior, Kent State
Heidi Schultz, Sophomore, Kent State
Alyssa Al-Ashari, Senior, Northern Illinois
Isabella Sissi, Junior, Northern Illinois
Amanda Gruber, Graduate Student, Western Michigan
Payton Murphy, Graduate Student, Western Michigan
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