NORMAL, Ill. – Coming off a record-breaking start to the 2024 gymnastics campaign, four Illinois State gymnasts have swept the weekly Midwest Independent Conference honors announced on Wednesday.
Sophomore Nirel Bart-Williams was named the Gymnast of the Week, junior Jaye Mack was selected for Performance of the Week, freshman Reese Grolla was tabbed the Newcomer of the Week and junior Mya Robison took home the first Coaches Choice honor of the young season.
Bart-Williams, the reigning MIC Newcomer of the Year, had a great start to her second season as a Redbird finishing with an all-around score 39.025 to finish second overall in Illinois State's season-opening victory at Bowling Green. The Murphy, Texas, native recorded a pair of top 3 individual finishes, including a first-place finish on beam with a career-high score of 9.900. She also tied for third place on the floor with a 9.825, as she helped the Redbirds post the fourth-highest score in school history (195.950) and tally the best season-opening score in program history.
Mack continued her dominance on the floor for the Redbirds, as she picked up an event win with a score of 9.900 at Bowling Green. The two-time defending MIC champion on the event picked up right where she left off with win on floor and tied for the event win on vault with a 9.875.
Grolla put together two solid routines in her collegiate debut, as she helped the Redbirds to the victory over the Falcons. The Calgary, Alberta, Canada native recorded a pair of top 5 finishes, tying for fifth on beam with a 9.800 and tying for fifth on bars with a 9.750.
Rounding out the weekly honorees was Robinson, who was nominated by head coach Bob Conkling and voted as this week's Coaches Choice award recipient. Robinson was set to lead on three of the four events but was moved out of the vault lineup at the last minute at Bowling Green. However, another Redbird gymnast went down in warmups and Robinson had to go back in and lead things off. With only one warmup turn, Robinson scored a 9.775 and later led off on floor with a 9.600 and beam with a 9.850.
Illinois State hosts its first meet of the season on Friday, January 12, when the Redbirds welcome in Greenville, TWU and Central Michigan to CEFCU Arena for a 6 p.m. quad meet.
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