NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State gymnastics team put up some strong individual performances in its season-opening meet last weekend in Michigan, and for their efforts gymnasts Angelica Labat and Madison Kipp have earned Midwest Independent Conference weekly honors.
Labat was named the MIC Gymnast of the Week, while Kipp took home the MIC Performance of the Week in the vote of the league's coaches and sports information directors. This week's other honorees were Southeast Missouri State's Taylor Ingle (Newcomer of the Week) and Texas Woman's Kyla Podges (Coaches Award).
The two-time defending MIC Gymnast of the Year, Labat started the 2023 season off on a high note with the 18th weekly conference honor of her career. She finished second in the all-around with a score of 38.875 in the season opener against Western Michigan and UW-Oshkosh. That performance was highlighted by a second-place finish on bars with a 9.825, which is the second-highest score of the season in the conference. She also added a fourth-place finish on floor with a 9.775 to lead the way for the Redbirds.
Kipp was the lone event winner of the day for Illinois State in the season opener. Kipp, a 2022 All-MIC performer on beam, began the 2023 season in fine fashion by winning the beam competition with a score of 9.825. That is the highest individual score on the event so far in the MIC this season and fell just short of her career best of 9.900 set last season.
The Redbirds return to action this weekend with a pair of meets at home at CEFCU Arena. The weekend begins with a Friday night meet against Lindenwood at 7 p.m. and wraps up with a 2 p.m. meet on Sunday against Western Michigan.
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