LEXINGTON, Ky. – Three Ball State University gymnasts ended their season today at the NCAA Central Regionals, as each represented the school in individual competition.
Senior Bibiana Rodriguez completed her Ball State career with an 11th-place finish on the uneven bars with a 9.8, improving upon her 28th-place finish in 2009.
Other than Rodriguez, the Cardinals struggled tonight. Sophomore Brittney Emmons finished in 17th in the all-around with a 37.4 – her season-low.
Emmons' score was severely hampered by a stumble on the bars in her second rotation. She was able to manage to stay on the lower bar, but her score suffered nonetheless. She was given a 9.0 on the bars, essentially knocking her out of the all-around competition.
After the bars, Emmons had another fall, this time on the second trick of her beam routine, to score an 8.85. It was her lowest score on the bars and beam this season.
Emmons rebounded on her strongest event, the floor exercise, in the final rotation. She scored a 9.85 on the floor exercise, which was good for 13th place. She also scored a 9.7 on the vault – 35th place – in her first event.
Falling proved to be contagious for Ball State today. Freshman Tiffany Brodbeck fell in the middle of her floor routine – her first fall on the floor this season – score a 9.125.
No. 1 University of Alabama and No. 12 University of Nebraska advanced to the NCAA National Championships with team scores of 197.4 and 195.875, respectively. The Crimson Tide swept every individual title, including sophomore Geralen Stack-Eaton in the all-around.
Senior Sarah Schmidt, of No. 13 University of Illinois, and senior Nicole Curler, of Michigan State University, qualified for nationals in the all-around.
No. 24 Central Michigan University finished in fourth place and put two on the podium: senior Katie Simon (fifth place in the all-around) and freshman Britney Taylor (fourth place on bars).
For more on Saturday's meet, check Monday's edition of The Ball State Daily News.
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