NORMAL, Ill. – The Illinois State gymnastics team is off to a strong start to the 2025 campaign, and won't have to travel far to continue that momentum this weekend as the Redbirds head to Chicago to compete in the Windy City Invite at Navy Pier on Friday at 7 p.m.
SETTING THE SCENE
The Windy City Invite is a highly anticipated men's and women's gymnastics competition hosted in the Chicagoland area that has been a mainstay in the gymnastics community for the past 27 years. However, this will be the first year where a women's collegiate competition will be part of the festivities, as Illinois State will compete with Wisconsin-Stout, Fisk University and Wilberforce University in the inaugural event. Of note, Former Redbird gymnast Apollonia Barrientos has helped to put the NCAA Women's gymnastics session together for this competition.
THOUGHTS FROM ISU HEAD COACH BOB CONKLING
"The team has worked on consistency and details this week in preparation of the first ever Windy City Invite collegiate competition at Navy Pier in Chicago. We've been focused on increasing our scoring potential and I feel we are ready and capable to score higher than our first two meets of the season."Â
SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
•   The Redbirds posted a second-place finish last week and recorded a season-high score of 195.100 at the Next Level Gymnastics Podium Challenge in Battle Creek, Michigan.Â
•   Junior transfer Jaly Jones was a big reason for that success, as she posted three Top 5 finishes at the meet which resulted in her being honored as the Midwest Independent Conference Co-Newcomer of the Week.
•   Senior Alana Laster also tied for first place on vault with a score of 9.850 to round out a solid meet for the Redbirds.
SCOUTING UW-STOUT
•   UW-Stout fell in the 2025 season opener 189.475-187.050 to UW-Whitewater last Friday.
•   Stout won the vault with a 47.650, as Jessica Qualich picked up the individual title, tying a career-high with a 9.700.
•   Effie Ferguson tied for first in the floor exercise with a 9.600 and Gillian Cummins won the all-around with a 37.500.
SCOUTING FISK
•   On Monday at the MLK Jr. Invitational hosted by Fisk, the hosts came in third behind Rutgers (194.900) and William & Mary (191.400) and picked up a win over Wilberforce, after splitting their season-opening dual meet with Kent State and Wilberforce.
•   This weekend will be the second time they will compete with Wilberforce on the year and the second time against the Redbirds in program history, after ISU defeated Fisk by a score of 195.975-188.225 last year in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
SCOUTING WILBERFORCE
•   Launching only the second women's gymnastics program at a HBCU, Wilberforce University continues to make history as the debuted in Fall 2024.
•   Dr. Morgan Byrd serves as the head coach of the Wilberforce University gymnastics team, bringing a wealth of experience, passion, and dedication to the program. A former standout competitor at Central Michigan, she competed at the Division I level from 2010-2011.
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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