**Release courtesy of the WIAC
OSHKOSH, Wis.–University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Gymnastics Championship/National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) West Regional (pres. by Culver’s) at Kolf Sports Center on March 11.
The conference title is the 17th in program history for the Titans. UW-Oshkosh posted a score of 193.100, while UW-La Crosse was second with 191.850, UW-Stout third with 190.475, UW-Whitewater fourth with 189.550, Winona State University (Minn.) fifth with 187.675, Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) sixth with 186.925, UW-Eau Claire seventh with 184.975 and Hamline University (Minn.) eighth with 184.025.
The conference championship also served as the West Regional qualifier for the NCGA Championship that will be conducted March 25 and hosted by Winona State. UW-Oshkosh, UW-La Crosse and UW-Stout earned spots into the national event by placing in the top three.
UW-Oshkosh had a pair of individuals establish WIAC championship records enroute to titles. Delaney Cienkus posted a score of 9.825 in the balance beam, while Emily Buffington won the all-around with a score of 38.800.
UW-Whitewater also had two gymnasts register first-place finishes. Kelsey Kollhoff posted a WIAC championship record score of 9.850 in the vault and Kara Welsh secured the vault with a score of 9.825.
UW-La Crosse’s Rachel Chesley and UW-Stout’s Kiara Brown shared top honors in the uneven parallel bars with a score of 9.600.
The top-six individuals in each event secured All-Conference accolades.
UW-La Crosse’s Cate Sandvik and UW-Stout’s Kiara Brown were named the Kwik Trip Co-Gymnasts of the Year, while UW-Oshkosh’s Reanna McGibboney was selected the Kwik Trip Newcomer of the Year. A Newcomer of the Year is defined as a student-athlete who used her first season of participation in women’s gymnastics this season. Transfers are not eligible unless they didn’t participate in women’s gymnastics at their previous institution.
UW-La Crosse’s Kasey Crawford was tabbed the Kwik Trip Coach of the Year and UW-Oshkosh’s Rahdea Jarvis received the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award.
An All-Sportsmanship Team was chosen for individuals that displayed exemplary sportsmanship throughout the season. It included one member from each school. Named to the squad were: UW-Eau Claire’s Kelsey Donovan; Gustavus Adolphus College’s Abby Willis; Hamline University’s Lily Ramsdell; UW-La Crosse’s Madi Vanderpool; UW-Oshkosh’s Kennedy Springer; UW-Stout’s Gabrielle Winstead; UW-Whitewater’s Meg McGinley; and Winona State University’s Kendra Aitken.
Individual Event Champions:
Vault: Kara Welsh (UW-Whitewater), 9.825
Uneven Parallel Bars: Rachel Chesley (UW-La Crosse) and Kiara Brown (UW-Stout), 9.600
Balance Beam: Delaney Cienkus (UW-Oshkosh), 9.825*
Floor Exercise: Kelsey Kollhoff (UW-Whitewater), 9.850*
All-Around: Emily Buffington (UW-Oshkosh), 38.800*
*WIAC Championship Record