TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Illinois State sophomore standout Angelica Labat picked a perfect day to post the best vault of her collegiate career, as her score of 9.950 was the top individual score on the event Friday at the NCAA Regional in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Labat, competing as an individual in the all-around competition, posted the highest score of the day on vault in the two NCAA Regional sessions at Coleman Coliseum. That performance punched her ticket to the NCAA Championship on April 16-17 in Fort Worth Texas, as the top event specialist on each event (who is not on an advancing team) from each regional receives an automatic berth to the national championships.
Not only was Labat strong on vault to open the day, but he also posted scores of 9.850 on bars and beam and then tallied a 9.825 on floor to finish third overall in the morning session with a career-high score of 39.475 in the all-around competition. Her score of 39.475 was fifth overall in the region, when the afternoon and evening session scores were combined.
"Angelica was phenomenal today and we are so excited for her," ISU head coach Bob Conkling said. "She hit on every event, but her performance on vault was amazing. She never attempted a full vault in warmups, but I think once she saw a couple other gymnasts hit it gave her some confidence and she just went out there and stuck it. She received a 10.000 from one of the four judges, which goes to show you just how clean that vault was."
Senior Cameron Topp had to wait until the very last routine of the afternoon session for her turn at the NCAA Regional, and with all eyes watching her as the last performer of the afternoon she went out and posted an exciting score of 9.825 on floor to put a cap on a stellar collegiate career.
"Cammie just went out there and had fun and it showed," Conkling said. "She fought so hard to get this opportunity to compete and the regionals, and she made the most of it. We couldn't be more proud of her and what a way to finish off her collegiate career."
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