Titans Place Fourth At WIAC Championship
Krystal Walker recorded season bests in four of the five individual categories to help UW-Oshkosh finish fourth in the team standings at the WIAC Women's Gymnastics Championship held Friday (March 4) in La Crosse.
UW-La Crosse nipped defending champion UW-Whitewater, 191.80-191.40, to win its third WIAC title in five seasons and 23rd overall. The first-place Eagles used the performance of four event champions to achieve their second-highest team score in school history.
Winona State University (Minn.) placed third in the eight-team meet with 188.525 points, while UW-Oshkosh finished fourth with 187.40, UW-Eau Claire fifth with 186.75, UW-Stout sixth with 186.075, Hamline University (Minn.) seventh with 184.875 and Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) eighth with 184.475.
UW-Oshkosh reached its highest overall score of the season with 47.10 points on the vault, a season best 46.875 on the uneven bars, 46.825 in the floor exercise and 46.60 on the balance beam. The event scores allowed the Titans to surpass an overall score of 184 points for the fifth time in seven meets.
Walker placed third in the all-around competition with a career-best 38.425 points. Her overall score included season-best values of 9.75 points in the floor exercise, 9.575 on the vault and 9.55 on the uneven bars. She also earned 9.55 points on the balance beam.
Walker was UW-Oshkosh's highest finisher on each of the four apparatus. She placed third in the floor exercise, seventh on the vault, eighth on the uneven bars and 11th on the balance beam.
Kylie Fischer, Dana LoCascio and Emily Ryan each earned a pair of top-22 finishes for the Titans.
Fischer placed 18th in the floor exercise with 9.50 points and 22nd on the uneven bars with 9.35, while LoCascio ranked 11th on the balance beam with 9.55 points and 20th on the vault with 9.425. Ryan listed 18th on the vault with 9.475 points and 19th on the uneven bars with 9.40.
UW-Oshkosh also had Amanda McBrayer finish 15th on the balance beam with 9.50 points and both Bailey Finin and Kasandra Stamopoulos 21st with scores of 9.475 in the floor exercise and 9.50 on the balance beam, respectively.
UW-La Crosse's four event titles included the two of Samantha Wiekamp. She took first place in the all-around competition with 38.625 points and on the vault with 9.775.
The Eagles also received winning scores of 9.75 on the uneven bars from Amy Enright and 9.70 on the balance beam from Leah Spankowski. Kelly Huseman of UW-Stout and Alex Kopp from Gustavus Adolphus College shared first place on the balance beam with Spankowski.
On the balance beam, Kopp and UW-Stout's Kaylee Jondahl tied for first place with 9.775 points.
The top six individuals in each category secured All-WIAC recognition.
The WIAC Championship also served as a West Region qualifier for the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championship that will be held March 18-19 in Brockport, N.Y.
UW-La Crosse, UW-Whitewater and Winona State University all secured spots into the national meet by placing among the top three regional teams.
Walker will represent UW-Oshkosh at the NCGA Championship as a participant in the balance beam, floor exercise and all-around competition for the second straight year.
Photo courtesy of Jim Lund