The EMU Gymnastics team opens the 2012 season on the road at Kent State following a strong sixth-place finish in the Mid-American Conference Championships last year.
The Eagles finished the 2011 season with a 4-10 overall record and went 2-4 in conference match-ups.
Freshmen Allie Leckson, Carrina Lo Bella, Paulina Miller, Allysa Nolan, Nikki Paterson, Jamie Radermacher, Ariyanna Smith and Anna Willette will join the returning team members for the 2012 season.
“I feel this freshman class will make immediate contributions and expect them to play a major role on the team,” Coach Steve Wilce said in a press release.
There are 18 women returning along with the eight freshmen recruits.
The team was also awarded academic honors at the end of the 2011 season.
Fourteen women last year won scholastic All-American honors from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/ Women. The team finished seventh in the country with a team GPA of 3.58.
Gymnasts to watch this year include sophomore Ashley Quinton, who had a stand out freshmen year in 2011. Quinton was ranked 36th in the MAC on the beam with an average score of 9.725. Quinton was ranked 33rd on the bars, averaging 9.700 and 22nd on vault, averaging 9.725.
Shawna Ciaramella, a sophomore from Hamilton Ontario, Canada, is poised for a good year after her strong finish in the MAC in 2011. Ciaramella finished 32nd on the balance beam, averaging 9.700. Ciaramella’s 9.675 average score on the floor was solid enough for a rank of 34th in the event.
Last year the team scored more points for EMU than in the last five years against conference opponents.
The 2012 season will begin at Kent State and a three-meet home stand that includes MAC rival Central Michigan University and Midwest Independent Conference team Texas Woman’s University on Friday, Jan. 27.
Central Michigan will return the next week for the Michigan/ Illinois Challenge at Bowen Field House on Friday, Feb. 3. This event will bring the Illinois State and Illinois-Chicago teams to Ypsilanti to square off against EMU and CMU.
The Eagles will face Western Michigan University in a heads-up contest at Bowen Field House on Feb. 11 before beginning a stretch of away meets that will take them to Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York before returning to Bowen on Mar. 10 for the Eagle Invitational.
Northern Illinois University, Air Force Academy and Temple twill be present at the Eagle invitational.
Following the Eagle Invitational, EMU gymnasts will travel to Bowling Green, Ohio for a heads up match against Bowling Green State University, the last meet before the MAC championships.
The MAC championships will be held on Mar. 24 in Dekalb, Ill., where the Eagles placed sixth last year.
