Women's Gymnastics

UW-Oshkosh Secures Women’s Gymnastics Championship

WHITEWATER, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh secured the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Gymnastics Championship/National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) West Regional (presented by Culver’s) at UW-Whitewater’s Kachel Fieldhouse on March 5.
 
The conference championship is the second straight – and 16th in program archives – for the Titans. UW-Oshkosh posted a score of 192.300 to squeak past UW-Whitewater’s second-place score of 191.875. UW-La Crosse placed third with 191.200, UW-Stout fourth with 189.625, UW-Eau Claire fifth with 187.450, Winona State University (Minn.) sixth with 186.225, Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) seventh with 184.800 and Hamline University (Minn.) eighth with 184.400.

The conference championship also served as the West Region qualifier for the NCGA Championship that will be conducted March 26 and hosted by Ithaca College (N.Y.). UW-Oshkosh, UW-Whitewater and UW-La Crosse earned spots into the national event by placing in the top three.

UW-Oshkosh’s Emily Buffington claimed a pair of individual titles. She was victorious in the vault with a championship meet record score of 9.875 and placed first in the uneven bars with a score of 9.850. Her score in the uneven bars matched a championship meet record set by UW-La Crosse’s Amy Enright in 2015.
 
UW-La Crosse’s Emma Grant won the balance beam with a score of 9.750, which matched a championship meet record set each of the last three championships. The Eagles’ Rachel Chesley claimed the floor exercise title with a score of 9.825. The score matched a championship meet record.
 
UW-Whitewater’s Emily North secured the all-around crown with a score of 38.325.
 
The top-six individuals in each event secured All-Conference accolades. Gustavus Adolphus’ Brooke Merila 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 Christina Leikam; Gustavus Adolphus College’s Brooke Merila; Hamline University’s Elizabeth Schauer; UW-La Crosse’s Emma Grant; UW-Oshkosh’s Rachel Morris; UW-Stout’s Jensen DeJong; UW-Whitewater’s Ashlyn Vlcko; and Winona State University’s Ashley Roth.
 
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