By David F.P.
Northern Illinois Huskies, Rutgers Scarlet Knights at #29 Kent State Golden Flashes
Friday, February 19th, 7pm Kent, Ohio
(Sources: Troester, Athletic Sources, Eyewitness Account.)

Kent State currently sits within the top 36 rankings of teams that qualify to regionals and hosts both the Huskies of NIU and the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers on Friday Night. The Golden Flashes have won 15 straight MAC Conference contests after defeating Central Michigan last week. They hope to continue that trend about fellow MAC opponent Northern Illinois, and I’m sure the home team wouldn’t mind topping Rutgers either. NIU a team which includes reigning 2009 MAC Gymnast of the Year Holly Reichard, had their season best on Vault and Floor during their last meet. Rutgers is working on their rankings within the USAG and EAGL ranks, as well as going for a high score that will help road RQS. The Scarlet Knights scored a 189.4 last week, though their highest scores of the season have actually come on the road.

Kent State Briefing

KSU has won the MAC Championship 11 times and is ranked 21st in the nation on the Vault.

Lydia Barrett is the 2009 MAC Floor Exercise Champion. She has career bests of 9.925 on Vault, 9.825 on Bars, and 9.9 on Floor. She was also the 2008 MAC bars champion. She holds one of the top 10 Vault scores in KSU history.

Christine Abou-Mitri has career bests of 9.875 on Vault, Bars, and Beam, and 9.85 on Floor, as well as 39.375 in the All Around. She holds one of the top 10 Bars scores in KSU history as well as top 10 score in the All Around.

Christina Lenny went to NCAA National Championships last year in the All Around. Her career bests on Vault are 9.925, 9.85 on Bars, 9.9 on Beam, 9.875 on Floor, and 39.35 in the All Around. She is the 2008 MAC Vault Champion. Lenny holds one of the top 10 Vault scores in KSU history as well, and holds a top 10 score on Beam as well. This is also true of the All Around.

Carly Conroy has a career best of 9.825 on Beam, her specialty.

Sam Heydlauff has career bests of 9.75 on Vault and 9.825 on Floor.

Brittany Kopp has career bests on Vault of 9.875 and 9.775 on Beam.

Kristina Arcury has a career best on Beam of 9.875.

Jaimee Caldwell has a career best on Bars and Beam of 9.725

Rachel Goldenberg has a career best of 9.7 on Vault.

Erin Rothrock is a bars specialist and has a career best of 9.850.

Rutgers Briefing

Rutgers is ranked 3rd in the USAG Collegiate National rankings overall. The Scarlet Knights are 3rd on the Vault, 6th on Bars, 3rd on Beam, and 2nd on Floor in the USAG event standings.

Jenna Zito is ranked 5th, and Laura Sevarino 7th in the USAG All Around rankings. Sevarino is 7th, Zito 14th, and Kiah Banfield 15th in the USAG floor rankings. Emma Rose Trentacosti is ranked 12 on Beam and Nicole Schwartz is 18th. Prishani Seebadri is ranked 1st on Bars in USAG, and Zito is 17th. Also, Sevarino is ranked 7th on Vault.

Alyssa Lewandowski, Banfield, Maddie Zwiebel, Danae Johnson, and Nicole Schwartz were all part of the group of six gymnasts who qualified to USAG nationals last season. Also, Nicole Romano, Trentacosti, and Zito are freshmen who have made an impact in the lineup quickly.

Seebadri and Sevarino each missed a portion of last season due to injury but are back in the lineup now. Seebadri also missed part of this season as well due to injury but has already obtained the teams highest Bars score.

(There is just more information readily available on KSU and Rutgers currently, hence the additional info. There is plenty of NIU info in the scoring section below.)

Team High Scoring

Northern Illinois: Team 192.425, Vault 47.975, Bars 48.650, Beam 48.175, Floor 48.400
Rutgers: Team 190.725, Vault 48.3, Bars 47.425, Beam 47.950, Floor 48.275
Kent State: Team 195.170, Vault 48.975, Bars 49.1, Beam 48.4, Floor 49.025

Individual High Scoring

Vault
Northern Illinois: Blum 9.8, Sutter 9.7, Clore 9.625
Rutgers: Zito 9.75, Sevarino 9.725, Lewandowski 9.675
Kent State: Lenny 9.85, Barrett & Abou-Mitri 9.825, Wozniak 9.8

Bars
Northern Illinois: Reichard & Guerra 9.825, Rachan 9.75, Tanaka 9.6
Rutgers:Seebadri 9.75, Gerlach & Zito 9.625, Schwartz 9525
Kent State: Rothrock 9.925, Barrett 9.875, Abou-Mitri 9.825

Beam
Northern Illinois: Reichard 9.825, Watanabe 9.775, Rachan 9.75
Rutgers: Heinbaugh, Trentacosti, & Zito 9.725, Sevarino 9.7, Schwartz, 9.650
Kent State: Abou-Mitri 9.825, Moore & Lenny 9.725, Arcury 9.7

Floor
Northern Illinois: Blum & Rachan 9.8725, Reichard & Sutter 9.775, Hurley 9.6
Rutgers: Sevarino 9.825, Banfield 9.725, Zito 9.675
Kent State: Lenny 9.875, Abou-Mitri & Barrett 9.85, Heydlauff 9.8

All Around
Northern Illinois: Reichard 39.000, Rachan 38.775, Blum 38.725
Rutgers: Sevarino 38.625, Zito 38.350, Romano 37.950
Kent State: Lenny 39.2, Abou-Mitri 39.175