The Lindenwood women's gymnastics team continued to set new program records at the MIC Championships on Saturday evening, scoring a record-high 193.050 as a team. The Lady Lions finished in fifth place overall, .150 points ahead of host school Centenary. Illinois-Chicago won the conference championship with a team score of 195.600.
Lindenwood set new team records on the vault, bars, and floor exercise at the championship. With a score of 48.200 on the vault, the Lady Lions topped their previous best of 48.000. All members of the squad scored at least a 9.500 including a 9.725 by
Rachel Zabawa.
Courtney Heise contributed a score of 9.675 in the event.
On the bars, Lindenwood's total of 48.350 was the first time all season the team had reached the 48-point mark. Junior
Emily Turik and
Trystien Charles both set a personal and program record in the event with a score of 9.825.
Behind the lead of
Valeri Ingui's 9.725, the Lady Lions scored a 47.775 on the beam. Heise added a 9.700 to the Lindenwood total.
With four scores over 9.700, Lindenwood beat its previous high of a 48.475 on the floor with a 48.725 at the MIC Championship. Heise tied her previous high and Zabawa set a new personal best with scores of 9.825. Turik recorded a 9.725 on the event while Ingui added a 9.700.
Charles and Turik's score of a 9.825 on the bars put them in a tie for third alongside Robyn Price from Centenary, Amanda Mohler from Illinois State, and Gabrielle May from Illinois-Chicago. Taryn Vanderpool of Southeast Missouri won the event with a 9.850. Heise and Zabawa finished in a tie for eighth on the floor exercise with Meg Crowley from Centenary scoring a 9.875.
Heise was the top all-around finisher for the Lady Lions, scoring a 38.950. Sami King of Illinois State won the all-around with a total of 39.325. All three of Lindenwood's all-around gymnasts set personal bests on Saturday evening.
The Lady Lions will now wait to hear of their postseason chances to compete at the USAG Collegiate Nationals scheduled for April 12-14.
