Another exciting, record-setting Division 3 season concluded this weekend with the NCGA National Championships, hosted by Brockport. Friday night featured an extremely high-scoring and competitive team and all-around competition, while Saturday’s competition was for the individual event finalists and recognition of NCGA award recipients.

Team Competition [Results]

UW La Crosse came out on top with an enormous 193.65, winning a competition in which the top four teams all scored 191+ and besting second place Brockport by over half a point. La Crosse’s victory included 24/24 hit routines, several individual personal bests, and school records on bars, floor, and overall team score. This was their second national championships in a row and 17th overall.

Brockport placed second with a 193.0, but despite outscoring LaCrosse on vault and beam, it was not enough to win on home turf. UW Whitewater was right on their heels with a 192.925 to round out the top three teams. Winona State was fourth with a school record 191.65, Cortland fifth with a 188.2, and Ursinus had some unfortunate struggles across the board, finishing in sixth with a 186.5.

In the all-around competition, Winona State’s Eboni Jackson was crowned national champion with a school record 38.8. Samantha Wiekamp of La Crosse and Katie Fiorilli of Whitewater tied for second place with scores of 38.675, and Dani Barmore of La Crosse was third with a 38.65. In addition to the all-arounders from the participating teams of the team competition, there were all-arounders from other programs competing as individuals. Stout was represented by Kaylee Jondahl (38.375), Oshkosh by Krystal Walker (38.325), Springfield by Marissa DeAngelo (38.275), Gustavus by Alex Kopp (38.1), Ithaca by Megan Harrington (37.925), and Rhode Island by Courtney Osborne (36.525) and Allie DiBiase (36.45).

Event Finals [Results]

Competition during event finals was tough and the scores extremely tight. Fiorilli and Wiekamp tied for the vault title with scores of 9.875, Whitewater’s Destiny Patrick took second with a 9.8, and Brockport’s Jen Sklenar took 3rd with a 9.75.

The WIAC is definitely the superior D3 conference on bars, sweeping the top five scores. Whitewater’s McKenzie Smith and LaCrosse’s Barmore tied for 1st with 9.825s, Whitewater’s Lisa O’Donnell was second with a 9.8, and La Crosse’s Amy Enright was third with a 9.775.

Brockport’s standout freshman Candis Kowalik won the national title on beam with a 9.85, with Amanda Palladino from Ursinus and Winona State’s Jackson taking second with a 9.825 and Brockport’s Lily Jagodzinski taking third with a 9.775.

Finally, on floor, O’Donnell and Gustavus’ Kopp tied for 1st with 9.85s, and the next three highest scores were all earned by Brockport gymnasts. Brittany Vasile was second with a 9.825, and Kowalik was third with a 9.8 (talk about close!).

The NCGA Coach of the Year award went to Beckie Rolbiecki of Winona State, while former Bridgeport standout, Spanish Olympian, and current Rhode Island College assistant coach Monica Mesalles won NCGA Assistant Coach of the Year. Cortland’s Maddie Scozzie won the NCGA Outstanding Senior Athlete award. The National Championships concluded, as always, with the traditional senior circle to celebrate the seniors of the NCGA and their four years of hard work and dedication.

Article by Sarah Chrane