2020-21 WIAC Kwik Trip Women's Gymnastics Athletes of the Week
Week of March 29 - April 4
Specialist
Meg McGinley, Sophomore (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral), of UW-Whitewater
McGinley finished first in each of the two events she competed in to help the Warhawks collect their top two team event scores of the day and record a 188.050-186.975 win over UW-Oshkosh at Kachel Gymnasium on April 3. She registered a career-best 9.575 on vault to tie for the top score in the event. Later in the meet, McGinley tallied a personal-record 9.675 to tie for first and help UW-Whitewater post its top team score of the day for any event (47.950). Her performance helped the Warhawks finish the season with a 3-1 record.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Andrea Gessner, Senior, Lino Lakes, Minn. (Centennial)
Gustavus Adolphus College, Emma Esteb, Sophomore, Woodbury, Minn. (Hill Murray)
UW-La Crosse, Olivia Opheim, Junior, Grundy Center, Iowa (Grundy Center)
UW-Oshkosh, Rahdea Jarvis, Junior, Brookfield, Wis. (Central)
UW-Stout, Carlie Beatty, Sophomore, Lakeville, Minn. (South)
All-Around
Annie Corbett, Sophomore (Brookfield, Wis./East), of Gustavus Adolphus College
Corbett dominated the field in the season-ending victory over Winona State University (Minn.) on April 1. She led the Golden Gusties on all four events, securing first place on three events (vault, balance beam and floor exercise) and placed second on the uneven bars. Corbett scored a 9.375 on vault, a 9.175 on the uneven bars, a 9.375 on the balance beam and a 9.450 on the floor exercise. Additionally, she won the all-around competition by almost two points with a 37.375. The Golden Gusties recorded their second-highest team score of the season.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Tia Ravara, Freshman, San Leandro, Calif. (Bishop O’Dowd)
UW-La Crosse, Emma Grant, Junior, Memphis, Tenn. (Braircrest Christian School)
UW-Oshkosh, Emily Buffington, Freshman, Huntersville, N.C. (Lake Norman Charter)
UW-Whitewater, Blaise Wilson, Senior, Thornton, Colo. (Legacy)
Week of March 22 - 28
Specialist
Morgan McEntire, Sophomore (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral), of UW-Whitewater
McEntire tied for first on vault with a personal-record score of 9.550 to help UW-Whitewater to a 188.675-187.075 win at UW-La Crosse on March 23. Her new vault included a Yurchenko full, which she taught herself over the summer in the middle of the pandemic. Determined to learn the new vault and perform it this year, McEntire worked on the vault with only 20 days of team practice in the fall and over Thanksgiving and Christmas break in a new gym with no coaching due to capacity restrictions at her facility. She won the event performing that vault for the first time this year.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Kerrie Legault, Sophomore, Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove)
All-Around
Kacey Mortenson, Junior (Oregon, Wis./Oregon), of UW-La Crosse
Mortenson won the all-around title (37.950) in UW-La Crosse's dual against UW-Whitewater on March 23. Her score of 37.950 was a career high. Mortenson also finished second on the uneven bars (9.575), fourth on the floor exercise (9.550) and fifth on the vault (9.500). She set season-high scores on the uneven bars, floor exercise and vault.
Also nominated:
UW-Whitewater, Blaise Wilson, Senior, Thornton, Colo. (Legacy)
Week of March 15 - 21
Specialist
Trinity Sawyer, Sophomore (Alpharetta, Ga./Northview), of UW-Oshkosh
Sawyer took first place on the vault and second on the uneven bars during UW-Oshkosh’s 188.100-181.900 victory over visiting Winona State University (Minn.) on March 18. Sawyer defeating 11 other challengers on the vault with her winning and season-best score of 9.775. UW-Oshkosh teammates Emily Buffington and Haley Volstad finished second to Sawyer with a figure of 9.30. Sawyer compiled a second-place and season-best score of 9.50 on the uneven bars. UW-Oshkosh’s Buffington won the event with a grade of 9.625.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Tayla Thome, Junior, Medina, Ohio (Buckeye)
Gustavus Adolphus College, Emma Esteb, Sophomore, Woodbury, Minn. (Hill Murray)
Hamline University, Tisana Lowe, Sophomore, Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge)
UW-Stout, Shadae Boone, Senior, Maple Grove, Minn. (Park Center)
All-Around
Annie Corbett, Sophomore (Brookfield, Wis./East) of Gustavus Adolphus College
Corbett had a season-high night in Gustavus' 183.725-181.325 victory over UW-Eau Claire on March 18. She was the high scoring Gustie in three events and second in the other. Corbett took home first place on the vault, uneven bars and all-around. Additionally, she placed third on floor and fifth on beam. On top of leading the team on these events, her vault (9.500), uneven bars (9.375), floor exercise (9.450) and all-around (37.450) were all season-high scores. On the balance beam, Corbett tallied a 9.125. Her performance helped the Golden Gusties record season-high event totals on all four events and best their previous season-high team score by over six points.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Tia Ravara, Freshman, San Leandro, Calif. (Bishop O’Dowd)
UW-Oshkosh, Emily Buffington, Freshman, Huntersville, N.C. (Lake Norman Charter)
UW-Stout, Kiara Bruening, Freshman, Sedona, Ariz. (Red Rock)
Week of March 8 - 14
Specialist
Shadae Boone, Senior (Maple Grove, Minn./Park Center), of UW-Stout
In her first meet of the season, Boone won two events in a dual against UW-Whitewater on March 13. Boone won the vault by more than three-tenths of a point with a 9.750, just short of her own school record (9.825). It’s the fifth time in her career Boone has scored 9.750 or higher on the vault. She won the floor exercise with a 9.650. Both scores lead the WIAC Honor Roll.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Danielle Malecha, Junior, Inver Grove Heights, Min. (Rosemount)
Gustavus Adolphus College, Abby Willis, Freshman, San Bernardino, Calif. (Cajon)
Hamline University, Nikki Johnsen, Junior, Missoula, Mont. (Hellgate)
UW-La Crosse, Kerrie Legault, Sophomore, Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove)
UW-Oshkosh, Trinity Sawyer, Sophomore, Alpharetta, Ga. (Northview)
UW-Whitewater, Faith Mylin, Sophomore, Elgin, Ill. (Harvest Christian Academy)
Winona State University, Hailey Bryant, Junior, Fort Worth, Texas (Timber Creek)
All-Around
Kacey Mortenson, Junior (Oregon, Wis./Oregon), of UW-La Crosse
Mortenson won the all-around title (37.675) in UW-La Crosse's 189.200-179.225 dual victory at Winona State University (Minn.) on March 12. She also tied for first on the balance beam (9.650), while finishing tied for third on the vault (9.475).
Also nominated:
Gustavus Adolphus College, Annie Corbett, Sophomore, Brookfield, Wis. (East)
UW-Whitewater, Blaise Wilson, Senior, Thornton, Colo. (Legacy)
Week of Feb. 22 - 28
Specialist
Madi Vanderpool, Sophomore (Lenexa, Kan./Lenexa), of UW-La Crosse
Vanderpool won the vault title (9.650) in UW-La Crosse's 188.150-185.600 dual victory over UW-Oshkosh on Feb. 27. She also tied for second (9.625) on the uneven bars. Vanderpool tied her career-highs in both events.
Also nominated:
Gustavus Adolphus College, Abby Willis, Freshman, San Bernardino, Calif. (Cajon)
Hamline University, Mary Kelly, Senior, Sylva, N.C. (Smoky Mountain)
UW-Oshkosh, Olivia Keller, Junior, Bloomington, Ind. (Bloomington)
UW-Stout, Carlie Beatty, Sophomore, Lakeville, Minn. (South)
UW-Whitewater, Karina Sabol, Sophomore, Middleton, Wis. (Middleton)
Winona State University, Kaitlyn West, Junior, Overland Park, Kan. (Christ Preparatory Academy)
All-Around
Blaise Wilson, Senior (Thornton, Colo./Legacy), of UW-Whitewater
Wilson won the all-around competition and placed first in a pair of individual events against Winona State University (Minn.) on Feb. 26 - the Warhawks’ first competition in nearly one year. She posted a score of 37.875 to defeat the runner-up by more than 2.5 points. Wilson claimed the uneven bars with a 9.500, two-tenths higher than the runner-up, and finished first on balance beam with a 9.625, her highest score on any event. She also tied for third on vault with her 9.350 and placed fourth on floor exercise with a score of 9.400.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Tia Ravara, Freshman, San Leandro, Calif. (Bishop O’Dowd)
UW-La Crosse, Kacey Mortenson, Junior, Oregon, Wis. (Oregon)
UW-Oshkosh, Emily Buffington, Freshman, Huntersville, N.C. (Lake Norman Charter)
UW-Stout, Kiara Bruening, Freshman, Sedona, Ariz. (Red Rock)
Winona State University, Izzy Kropiweic, Freshman, Wauconda, Ill. (Carmel Catholic High School)