2023 WIAC Women’s Gymnastics Championship/NCGA West Regional (presented by Culver’s) Preview

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will aim for a third straight title at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Gymnastics Championship/NCGA West Regional (presented by Culver’s) on March 11. The 49th gathering of conference schools will be hosted by UW-Oshkosh at Kolf Sports Center with march-in scheduled for 2 pm.
 
The Titans secured the 16th first-place finish in program history last season with a score of 192.300. UW-Whitewater finished second with a score of 191.875, while UW-La Crosse was 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.
 
UW-La Crosse owns a league-high 24 conference titles, while UW-Whitewater five and former member UW-Madison secured two.
 
The conference meet will also serve as the West Region qualifier for the NCGA championship that will be held March 25 and hosted by Winona State. The top three teams from the WIAC event, along with qualified gymnasts, will advance to the NCGA meet.
 
The top-six finishers in each event receive All-Conference designation.
 
This year’s event features three gymnasts that have claimed individual titles at previous conference championships. A year ago, UW-La Crosse’s Rachel Chesley claimed the floor exercise, while UW-Oshkosh’s Emily Buffington was victorious in the vault and uneven parallel bars. At the 2020 championship, UW-La Crosse’s Kerrie Legault won the uneven parallel bars.
 
The WIAC Honor Roll from this season includes the top-three scores – in the vault: UW-Whitewater’s Kara Welsh (9.850); UW-Oshkosh’s Reanna McGibboney (9.825); and UW-La Crosse’s Alex Wood (9.800) and UW-Oshkosh’s Daejah Rose (9.800).
 
In the uneven parallel bars: UW-La Crosse’s Kerrie Legault (9.825); UW-Whitewater’s Estee Flom (9.750); and UW-La Crosse’s Rachel Chesley (9.725).
 
In the balance beam: UW-La Crosse’s Jordan Halcom (9.850) and UW-Whitewater’s Sarah Knetzke (9.850); UW-La Crosse’s Hannah Hautala (9.775) and Kelsey Kollhoff (9.775); and UW-La Crosse’s Marisa Zepeda (9.750), UW-Oshkosh’s Delaney Cienkus (9.750) and UW-Stout’s Effie Ferguson (9.750).
 
In the floor exercise: UW-Whitewater’s Kelsey Kollhoff (9.875); UW-La Crosse’s Cate Sandvik (9.825), UW-Oshkosh’s Kennedy Springer (9.825) and UW-Whitewater’s Faith Mylin (9.825); and UW-Oshkosh’s Rahdea Jarvis (9.800).
 
In the all-around: UW-Oshkosh’s Emily Buffington (38.725); UW-Stout’s Kiara Brown (38.400); and UW-La Crosse’s Cate Sandvik (38.050).
 
Additional gymnasts from remaining conference teams not mentioned in the top three of the honor roll, but producing strong performances this season include: UW-Eau Claire’s Tia Ravara and Harriet Toth; Gustavus Adolphus’ Olivia Jahnke; Hamline’s Danielle Jaworski; and Winona State’s Breanna Ho and Jessica Miley.
 

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