In week three of Division III competition, we saw a few canceled meets due to the weather, our first scores of 190+, a 9.85 on bars from Centenary’s Ashley White, Rhode Island’s new team school record on vault, 3 career highs for Springfield’s Marissa DeAngelo, and, oh yeah, Centenary beating Georgia on beam. In fact, we saw several scores in the 9.7s on beam in Division 3… higher than many Division 1 beam scores this week. #BeamQueens

Ithaca 182.75, Brockport 181.475

Despite being a relatively low-scoring meet for both teams, Ithaca upset Brockport, defeating them by over a point. The Bombers opened with a strong vault rotation, led by Valerie Cohen’s meet-winning 9.55 and a pair of 9.4s from Carolyn Nichols and Kaylee Pacunas. Bars proved to be a huge struggle, with Ithaca only scoring a 43.75 after having to count a score in the 7s. Danielle Maffuid’s 9.2 was the best score for Ithaca on bars, followed by a 9.0 from Kendra Balcerak. Ithaca also had a couple of hiccups on beam (they won beam as a team in their meet last weekend at SCSU), but Balcerak won the event by a landslide with her 9.575. The Bombers had a great floor set (albeit powerful, with 4 gymnasts going out-of-bounds), led by a 9.6 from Nichols as she captured the title for the day, and a 9.55 from Megan Harrington.

Brockport had a decent vault rotation, led by a 9.4 from Casey Sullivan and a 9.35 from Kayleen Burns. The Eagles bested Ithaca on bars by a full point, with Caitlin Elsadek scoring the highest score of the meet (9.475). Brockport had some serious beam struggles, with Erica Roth’s 9.175 being the highest score for the team, however they matched Ithaca’s floor score (46.7), with strong performances from Marissa Piper (9.475), Sullivan (9.4), and Stephanie Mager (9.4).

Southeast Missouri 193.225, Centenary 190.425 

Centenary made some tremendous improvement (6 whole points) from their first meet 2 weeks ago, making them the first Division III team this season to break 190. Centenary opened on vault with a 47.35 (just 0.3 below what SEMO scored on that event) with strong vaults from Kellie Slater (9.6), Noel Stubbs (9.55), and Aspen Hattley (9.525). They also totally slayed bars, counting 4 scores of 9.5 or better, including a HUGE 9.775 from Ashley White, tying SEMO’s Alexis Brawner and McKenna Stanley for the event title. Centenary’s bar score of 47.65 is the highest this season in D3.

Megan Desjardins and Navia Jordan each scored a 9.725 on beam, tying SEMO’s Lauren Israel for a first place finish. Finally, despite only putting up 5 floor competitors, Centenary scored a 48.425 on floor (the highest score in D3 so far by .5), including a 9.8 from White, a 9.725 from Slater, and 9.7 from Jordan. White also took second all-around with a 37.925. Centenary was right on the heels of SEMO on vault and floor, though SEMO edged them considerably on bars and beam. In addition to her bars win, Brawner won vault and won the all-around with a career high 38.9 as one of four all-around competitors for SEMO. McKinzie Jones won floor with a 9.825.

LaCrosse 184.8, Hamline 181.325

LaCrosse started the season out strong, but has decreased in score with each passing meet. What’s most interesting is that they didn’t really seem to have a standout weak event at this meet; all their event totals were between a 45.975 and a 46.4. Leah Spankowski won vault with a 9.425, Dani Barmore won bars with a 9.5, followed by Samantha Wiekamp’s 9.475. Barmore also won beam with a 9.65, followed closely by teammate Savana Kettner with a 9.6. Kettner won floor with a 9.475, while Wiekamp won the all-around by default with a 37.425, as Hamline did not compete any all-arounders.

Hamline’s score was their highest so far this season as they continue to make steady improvements. The Pipers were only 0.3 behind LaCrosse on vault, with Sela Fadness scoring the highest for the team with a 9.275. Madison Couves led on bars (9.2) as they bested their team bar score from last week by nearly two full points. Megan Webb took second overall on beam with a team-leading 9.475 on beam, while Sydney Tribbett’s 9.375 was the best floor score for the Pipers.

Cornell 192.275, Cortland 189.3

Cortland made tremendous improvements this week and came very close to hitting 190, scoring .05 behind Cornell on vault and .3 behind them on floor. Cortland continues to be successful with only 5 vaulters, counting all scores of 9.4 or better, including a 2^nd place finish from Rachel Filipski. The Red Dragons counted 3 scores of 9.5 or better on bars from Meghan Cobb, Emily Nagy, and Maddy Scozzie. Cortland hit most of their beam routines, led by anchor Meghan Goyden’s 9.5, while recording a pair of 9.725s on floor from Goyden and Bailey Gildemeyer.

Cornell totally killed it and recorded some tremendous scores. Alicia Bair won vault with a 9.725, and Elana Molotsky and freshman Kaitlin Green tied for first on bars (9.8). Green came up HUGE on beam, scoring a 9.9 (remember, Cornell is in the Ivy League so none of their athletes have athletic scholarships), tying the school record. Lyanda Dudley won floor with a 9.775, and the all-around by default with a 38.6.

Whitewater 190.0, Eau Claire 184.65, Oshkosh 184.2, Stout 181.075

Whitewater became the second D3 team to hit 190 this week, totally running away with the meet with a 6+ point victory over fellow Wisconsin schools. Katie Fiorilli’s 9.55 edged out teammate Destiny Patrick and Stout’s Kelly Huseman by .025 for the vault title. Whitewater swept the top 4 bars scores with scores of 9.5 or better with Lisa O’Donnell leading the way with her 9.675. O’Donnell also won floor with a 9.65 as Whitewater claimed the top 3 floor scores as well. Kristen Shackleton was Whitewater’s best beam performer of the day with a 9.725, while Courtney Pickett took the all-around title with a 37.9.

Eau Claire’s best event was beam, counting 3 scores of 9.6 or better, including Clare Mascia’s 9.725. Bailey Peter and Jessica Dhaene scored a pair of 9.4s on bars, while Julia Stedman’s 9.35 was Eau Claire’s top vault score. Liz Stubbs scored a 9.525 on floor, tying her for fourth place on the event.

Oshkosh remained very consistent across all four events. Krystal Walker scored a team high 9.425 on vault and took second in the all-around (36.725), Kylie Fisher’s 9.325 was their best bar score, and Danielle Turner’s 9.5 on floor was good enough for sixth place. Oshkosh’s Dana Locasio scored a HUGE 9.775 on beam to win the event.

Stout continues to struggle on floor, putting up only 5 gymnasts and having to count a 7.9. BUT, they had the second highest vault team total (behind Whitewater) with a 46.85, with 3 scores of 9.4 or better from Kaylee Jondahl, Randi Schorzman, and Kelly Huseman. Schorzman also had the team’s top beam score with a 9.25. Kenzie Hyde tied for fifth place on bars with a 9.4, and was third in the all-around with a 36.55.

Brown 191.175, Bridgeport 190.85, SCSU 186.625, Rhode Island 176.7

The Anchorwomen of RIC were not safe from the pervasive balance beam curse that affected so many college teams this weekend, having to count several falls and only scoring a 42.025 on the event. They came back strong on floor, scoring their highest floor total of the season with strong routines from Emma Hartan (9.25), Allie Dibiase (9.15), and Erin Shea (9.15). RIC continued their momentum and scored a new school record on vault (46.9) despite the absence of one of their strongest vaulters, Victoria Costello, who is nursing an ankle injury. The vault team was led by a pair of 9.5s from Shea and Courtney Osborne. RIC also struggled on bars with falls, with Jackie Hahn’s 8.65 being their top score.

Brown fought hard to top UB, with Alexandra Chretien and Diana Walters tying for the top bar score of the day with a pair of 9.75s. Regan Butchness’ 9.75 was the top beam score for the day, while Jorden Mitchell took the AA title with her score of 37.875.

Bridgeport’s vault lineup swept the top 4 scores of the meet, with Kim Stewart’s 9.775 leading the pack, followed by Hope Tralli’s 9.725, and a pair of 9.7s from Ajiea Hargrave and Rachel DiCarlo. UB struggled with some falls on bars and beam, but proved to be very strong on floor, with Hargrave’s 9.825 being the top score of the day, followed by a 9.8 from Brianna Comport.

SCSU went down a point from their opener last week, but they beat Brown on vault with their 47.9, led by Nicole Pruchnik’s 9.675. Pruchnik also scored her team’s high on beam (9.6) and floor (9.7).  Southern struggled on bars, though bars specialist Kathleen Aberger hit a great set with a score of 9.675.

Brockport 188.125, Springfield 183.9

This was Brockport’s second meet of the weekend, and they bumped their previous score up by nearly 7 points. Brockport counted four scores of 9.425 or better on vault, with Bridgette Schaal’s 9.525 being the winning score of the meet, just edging out Springfield’s Marissa DeAngelo’s 9.5.

Springfield’s killer vault lineup continues to be towards the top of Division 3, besting Brockport by 0.05. SC’s Heather Gomes tied with Brockport’s Brittany Vasile for third place with scores of 9.45. Bars was by far the weakest event for both teams. Springfield put up a strong set of solid routines (Brianna Kerr won bars with a 9.575, followed by DeAngelo’s 9.55), but having to count a score in the 7s brought down their team total significantly.

Brockport’s Maddie O’Braitis took third with her 9.525. Springfield fought hard to come back on beam, led by DeAngelo’s meet-winning 9.725, followed by Ashley Parchinski’s 9.6. Brockport proved totally unbeatable on the event, led by Lily Jagodzinski’s 9.7, followed by a 9.675 from Jen Sklenar and a 9.65 from freshman Candis Kowalik.

Brockport totally killed it on floor, with Jagodzinski winning the event with a 9.7, followed by a pair of 9.6s from Kowalik and Vasile. DeAngelo had the top Springfield floor score with a 9.4. Her personal best all-around score of 38.125 won the meet, and her bars and beam scores were also personal bests.

Southeast Missouri 191.9, Texas Women’s 191.6, Centenary 190.525, Air Force 190.5

What a meet! All four teams were super evenly-matched, finishing within a point and a half of each other, and this was the second Centenary vs. SEMO matchup of the weekend.

Division 3 Centenary remained very consistent with their team score improving by 0.1. Ashley White led Centenary on vault (9.7), bars (a meet winning 9.85! WOW!), and floor (9.75), while cruising her way to the all-around title with a 38.925. Centenary also went 6-for-6 on beam, posting a HUGE 48.25 on beam (yep, that means they beat GEORGIA on beam by 0.6), led by Navia Jordan’s 9.775.

SEMO’s Alexis Brawner’s pair of 9.8s earned her first place on vault and second place on floor, helping her to a third place all-around finish (38.375). Lauren Israel led the team on bars (9.825) and beam (9.775), and took second in the all-around (38.8). McKinzie Jones won floor with a 9.825.

TWU had a solid meet, counting 5 scores of 9.6 or better on vault, and hitting every bar routine, led by Katie Simpson’s 9.825. Simpson and Madison Dickson scored a pair of 9.725s on beam, while Erin Alderman led the Pioneers on floor with a 9.725.

Air Force held their own, and their best event by far was bars, with a 9.825 from Kara Witgen, a 9.725 from Mariana Murphy, and a 9.7 from Darby Germain. Beam specialist Sarah Neumann won the event for the day with a 9.8, while Casey Bell and Chelsea Grimison scored a pair of team-high 9.525s on floor.

Italicized teams are not part of the Division III system.

Photos thanks to Centenary Women’s Gymnastics
By Sarah Chrane