Gymnastics Tops Bowling Green in MAC Opener

Sunday, January 18

Muncie, IN

1 p.m.

Ball State University

195.225

193.200

Bowling Green

January 18, 2026 | Gymnastics

Complete Results Photo Gallery

MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State was Golden Sunday afternoon at Worthen Arena, taking the top spot in all four individual events on its way to a 195.225 to 193.200 Mid-American Conference victory over Bowling Green on K-Pop Demon Hunters Day.

"It feels nice to come out and have a performance like we have been talking about, which is competing like we have been practicing," head coach Joanna Saleem said. "We were more focused and move confident than last week, which was definitely the improvement we were looking for."

Junior Ashley Szymanski led the way, earning her second individual bars title of the season with a score of 9.775, while also taking top honors on beam for the second time in her with a career-high tying mark of 9.875.

Sophomore Karli Mercer was the first Ball State gymnasts to hit the win column, picking up her first collegiate event victory with a career-high tying 9.825.

Junior Ava Molina rounded out the Cardinals' event sweep with the highest individual score of the day, earning a career-best 9.900 on floor. She is the third different Ball State gymnast to score a 9.900 this season, joining Szymanski (bars) and senior Zoe Middleton (beam) who hit the mark in the season-opener.

Overall, Ball State's gymnasts finished the day with 12 scores of 9.750-or-higher, along with 10 scores which tied or set personal-bests.

Rotation 1: Vault (48.775)
- Ball State's first three gymnasts in the rotation each logged a career-best mark, starting with sophomore Jordanna Phillis who tied for second at 9.775.
- Mercer won the even from the No. 3 slot in the Ball State lineup, tying her career-best at 9.825.
- Freshman Carley Stalder also tied for second a 9.775, while junior Lindsay Girard tied for fourth at 9.725.

Rotation 2: Bars (48.550)
- Szymanski picked up her 14th career bars title with her 9.775.
- Middleton took second overall at 9.750.
- Senior Mary Rose Bellan completed a 1-2-3 effort for Ball State in the event with a 9.700

Rotation 3: Beam (48.850)
- The Ball State's gymnasts earned six of the top seven beam scores of the day, led by Szymanski's winning mark of 9.875.
- Juniors Lindsay Fuller and Delaney McMahon tied for second at 9.800.
- The Cardinals also counted a 9.700 from Middleton.

Rotation 4: Floor (49.050)
- Ball State ended the meet with its best rotation of the season, with the final five gymnasts in the rotation tying or hitting a career-best mark.
- Molina's 9.900 led the way, while junior Lindsay Girard tied for second at 9.825.
- Stalder and sophomore Grace Suchecki tied for fourth, with scores of 9.800, while sophomore Avery Kantor made her competitive debut with a 9.725 to cap the team's countable scores.

More From Saleem:
- When you have a big crowd and you're excited to go out and perform in front of them, it makes it a little easier to finish strong. Knowing they were being watched and being able to engage and have fun with the crowd helped them get into the rhythm of strong performances to end.
- It's nice for them to get that confidence, to know we can be very strong on all four events. This team wants to be able to perform and have fun doing it. They've worked hard to be able to do that, and it showed today, especially on floor

Up Next:
The Ball State gymnastics team travels to Northern Illinois for its second MAC dual of the season, a 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT showdown with the Huskies.