Ball State University Athletics
Gymnastics Sweeps MAC Weekly Awards
January 27, 2026 | Gymnastics
CLEVELAND - - Thanks to their strong efforts in last Saturday's win at Northern Illinois, junior Ashley Szymanski and freshman Carley Stalder have swept the week's Mid-American Conference weekly honors.
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Szymanski was named the MAC Specialist of the Week for the second consecutive week, and the fourth time in her career, after winning her third individual bars title of the season with a score of 9.800 in the 193.800 to 191.050 victory over the Huskies.
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She also placed third on beam, with a score of 9.850, to help the Cardinals turn in the fifth-best team beam score in program history at 49.250. Szymanski is currently tied for first in the league with an average beam score of 9.842, while her bars average of 9.825 is second among all MAC gymnasts.
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Stalder earns MAC Gymnast of the Week for the first time in her career after capturing her second vault win of the season by tying her career-high score with a 9.850 in the league win over the Huskies. She also tied for the top spot on beam with a career-best score of 9.875 to help the Cardinals turn in the fifth-best team beam score in program history at 49.250.
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Stalder, who has three event wins over the first three meets of the season, also turned in a countable score of 9.750 on floor. She currently ranks second in the MAC with a vault average of 9.825, while her floor average of 9.767 is ninth in the league.
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Ball State has won at least one MAC weekly award each week so far this season, with Zoe Middleton being named MAC Specialist of the Week after opening weekend. Szymanski earned MAC Co-Specialist of the Week last week.
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The Ball State gymnastics team returns to action Sunday (Feb. 1), when it travels to Southeast Missouri State for the SEMO Quad. The event, which starts at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT, will also feature Illinois State and Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
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Szymanski was named the MAC Specialist of the Week for the second consecutive week, and the fourth time in her career, after winning her third individual bars title of the season with a score of 9.800 in the 193.800 to 191.050 victory over the Huskies.
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She also placed third on beam, with a score of 9.850, to help the Cardinals turn in the fifth-best team beam score in program history at 49.250. Szymanski is currently tied for first in the league with an average beam score of 9.842, while her bars average of 9.825 is second among all MAC gymnasts.
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Stalder earns MAC Gymnast of the Week for the first time in her career after capturing her second vault win of the season by tying her career-high score with a 9.850 in the league win over the Huskies. She also tied for the top spot on beam with a career-best score of 9.875 to help the Cardinals turn in the fifth-best team beam score in program history at 49.250.
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Stalder, who has three event wins over the first three meets of the season, also turned in a countable score of 9.750 on floor. She currently ranks second in the MAC with a vault average of 9.825, while her floor average of 9.767 is ninth in the league.
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Ball State has won at least one MAC weekly award each week so far this season, with Zoe Middleton being named MAC Specialist of the Week after opening weekend. Szymanski earned MAC Co-Specialist of the Week last week.
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The Ball State gymnastics team returns to action Sunday (Feb. 1), when it travels to Southeast Missouri State for the SEMO Quad. The event, which starts at 2 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. CT, will also feature Illinois State and Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
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