Tri-Meet In Michigan Next Up For Redbird Gymnasts

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Coming off a stellar quad meet victory at home last Friday, the Illinois State gymnastics team hits the road this weekend for a unique podium meet against Western Michigan and George Washington in Battle Creek, Michigan, on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT

SETTING THE SCENE
This weekend's meet is not a typical tri-meet for the Redbirds, as they will be competing as part of a club meet for the first time this season at the Next Level Gymnastics Podium Challenge at Kellogg Arena. The collegiate tri-meet with WMU and GWU caps off the weekend, with what should be a great crowd full of club teams from around the region in the stands to watch their collegiate counterparts.

THOUGHTS FROM ISU HEAD COACH BOB CONKLING
"With this being a club meet, with the college meet on Saturday night, we expect the stands to be packed with club gymnasts wanting to watch some great college gymnastics which will make for a great atmosphere. We competed well at our podium meet last year, so we are expecting them to perform the same way this year. We've focused on getting just a bit better in each practice and cleaning up those small deductions. Their confidence is high right now coming off two good meets to the start the year, so we just need to stay consistent and continue doing what they are doing."

SCOUTING THE REDBIRDS
•    For the second week in a row, the Redbirds put up a high 195 score last week as they rolled to a quad meet win over Central Michigan, TWU and Greenville with a 195.750.
•    The Redbirds are currently ranked No. 29 on Road To Nationals this week, thanks in large part to a No. 14 national ranking on beam with an average score of 49.100.
•    Senior Angelica Labat had a solid night in the all-around for the Redbirds in the quad meet, placing second overall with a 39.050 bettering her mark of 38.6750 from the previous week in the event … she also took home the top spot on the vault and got the Redbirds off to a hot start with a score of 9.825.
•    The Redbirds also took the top three spots on beam, with Madison Kipp leading the way with a score of 9.875, freshman Reese Grolla in second with a 9.825 and Mya Robinson in third with a 9.800. 

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS
•    Western Michigan heads into the meet ranked No. 36 by Road To Nationals, thanks to their strong efforts on vault where the Broncos rank No. 22 nationally.
•    The Broncos picked up wins over West Virginia and UW-Oshkosh at the Illinois Quad Meet last Saturday afternoon, placing second overall with a score of 196.000 just behind the host Illini.
•    Fifth-year senior Payton Murphy earned her first all-around win of the season, finishing with a 39.200, and senior Dani Petrousek was the winner on floor with a 9.900, matching her previous career-best score.

SCOUTING THE REVOLUTIONARIES
•    GW is ranked No. 41 in the latest Road To Nationals standings, and are tied with the Redbirds nationally on beam at No. 14.
•    They scored a 195.025 at the Lindsey Ferris Invitational last Saturday, as part of a close second-place finish behind Penn, who scored a 195.375. 
•    Sarah Zois was selected as the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) Co-Gymnast of the Week, after she earned a new career-high floor score (9.875) and also hit a career-high on beam at Florida this past Friday with a 9.900. 

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For all latest on Illinois State gymnastics, stay tuned at Goredbirds.com and follow the team on Instagram (@redbirdgymnastics), on X (@redbirdwgym) and Facebook.

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